[From 30/11/2011] ~ As we wind up our 10 year anniversary celebration this month, I thought to share some of the random interactions with people that helped me get through the years. It never failed that whenever I was ready to give up, pack it in, and get a “real” job, I would get an email, phone call, or stumble into a chance meeting from a fellow miniature gardener that gave me the inspiration to sit back down, stay focused and get back to “it.”

Here are just a couple of their stories:

Breaking Through Grief

Fremont Sunday Market, Seattle -~> Many moons ago, when we were gritting our teeth through another long Sunday at the Fremont Market in Seattle, where we started our journey, a man who bought a miniature garden the week before came back to our booth. He deliberately came back to tell us about his mother, who was stuck in grief over the loss of her father and apparently shut-down completely. He told me that there was nothing he could to do get through to her, nothing that he tried that would shake her out of her sorrow. When he saw one of my miniature gardens last week, he knew it was worth a try because she always enjoyed gardening. When he brought the miniature garden to her that day, it was the first time he saw her smile in months.

Recovery Tools

Texas – A woman from Texas was so moved by miniature gardening, she picked up the phone to thank me in person and told me her story. Her sister had been diagnosed with cancer, was going through brutal chemotherapy and had almost given up the fight. One day, she got her sister together enough to at least sit in the garden and get some fresh air. She wrapped her sister in blankets and proceeded to make a miniature garden right in front of her. The ailing sister could not resist, and began interacting with the mini garden, smiling all the while. With miniature gardening to occupy her mind and get her moving in the fresh air, the sister recovered and the two of them went on to start their own miniature garden business.

A West Seattle Hug

West Seattle – Years ago, when I was at my wits end one day, I was wandering through the West Seattle Nursery trying to avoid my self-inflicted work-load. One of the staff members flagged me down and said there was a woman asking about my miniature gardens that I had there on consignment. After I spent a few minutes teaching her about miniature gardening, the woman hugged me with tears welling up in her eyes. She was thrilled and relieved to have a new and do-able idea to implement at the adult family home where she was working and she knew it would delight her residents too. I was not expecting the hug nor the tears…

What Grew into a Popular Online Forum

Online – “I’ve ‘seen’ you around the forums, but didn’t realize that you were associated with Two Green Thumbs. I love your stuff!! I remember when I first became interested in miniature gardens as an adult (I was always into dollhouse stuff as a kid,) I saw many of your gardens while Googling, and they inspired me. IN FACT, they had a lot to do with what inspired me to ask Dave to start this forum! ;0) So see? In a way this forum is here because of you. Keep up the great work! – Taylor” [– The Tiny Garden Forum on DavesGarden.com]

Passion is Contagious

It’s funny where inspiration comes from. These are just a couple of the stories among the many emails I get each week. People thanking me for inspiring them, but I’m not sure if they know that they inspired me too!

How about you? Want to share your story of how this wonderful hobby of gardening in miniature has changed your life or helped you in any way? You can leave your story in the comments below or email it to me. (Whenever I share anything from a customer publicly, I only use your first name with your city and state.)

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