To cultivate one’s own garden, for one a dream, for the other a horror. I have not made it to the allotment garden or field hero. The memories of the daily duty in the allotment garden of my childhood influenced me too much. Was it always watering, weeding, hooking, raking, airing, fertilizing, collecting, picking …
A private garden could not be considered, but I was convinced that it was time to try something more green. After all, we have a balcony in our office and a little light comes through the linden trees. That should be enough for the beginning.
In the next backyard garden centre, of which there are fortunately in Charlottenburg some, balcony boxes, and plants were bought for little money and luckily at the supermarket there was potting soil within walking distance.
We planted a total of three 1-meter-long window boxes, two large pots on the balcony, as well as the remaining bowl of a room fountain and a planter that had served as an ashtray.
We had no idea what you can even plant on a balcony. Also, the questions about the best planting time, the intervals that should be observed and how much sun, shade and water every plant needs we ignored studiously. The plants themselves came from the supermarket or garden centre. We also wanted to build a MVP — Minimum Viable Product -;)
What happened then is the reason why I write this post. No matter what, we brought into contact with the earth in the window boxes. It worked, grew, and seemed willing to show off to digital nomads what a kick-ass hockey stick had to look like. Today, two months later, we look with admiration at our oregano, thyme, basil, parsley, sage, the three tomato varieties, various chilli plants, paprika, strawberries and the physalis when they mature. In the former ashtray, which now earns karma points, we also planted some wildflowers that already attract bumblebees and bees, Yay! Incidentally, the wildflowers come from our Seed bomb giveaways, which we distribute at our trade fair booths. Yes, they really work. 😉
3 minutes break — enjoy pure relaxation.
Let your eyes wander in your own “green”. Seek the first chilli pods and perceive the intense scent of the tomatoes. The damp soil smell and find that the few plants in the heat of early summer are already sufficient to cool the balcony so noticeably, a little bit.
Our learning.
It does not have to be a whole garden. Plant knowledge helps, non-knowledge generates experience that most plants are generously prepared to ignore. The experience “green” relaxes and intensifies a connection to the essential things that help in the digital cooperation, to calibrate the own scale again and to separate the essential from the daily office bullshit bingo. In other words, we can only recommend to everyone, whether privately or in the office, to grow something green again. Maybe there is also a balcony, a small place in the backyard or on the roof, which you can turn with a few volunteers and a little money of the boss to a small office oasis. It’s worth it for everyone.
