This archive report was first published on 28 September 2019.
As I approached my 50th birthday, I found myself pondering where the next joyful moment would come from. As a city dweller, I didn't have a backyard, but I did have a roof deck and a bricked-in courtyard where I could try my hand at gardening.
On a whim, I bought a half-dozen tomato seedlings and some pots, and my husband, who was skeptical, agreed to do the watering. I quoted my favorite Onion headline, 'Having a Gardener Is a Wonderful Hobby,' but in truth, I wasn't optimistic.
However, the tomato plants began to grow, and before long, we were thrilled to see tiny tomatoes, a cluster of eight, with the largest ones the size of gumballs and the smallest ones no bigger than peas.
Encouraged by this early success, I went back to Home Depot and returned with an eggplant, a banana pepper, bell pepper plants, and strawberries, cucumbers, and cantaloupes. I even bought four corn plants and more soil and pots.
As the garden grew, so did our excitement. My husband read up on eggplants and learned that they are bisexual and self-pollinate, and when the first tiny one appeared, I named it baby ganoush and documented its growth on Instagram.
My husband baked a tomato tart and began taking breaks out on the deck, plucking berries to eat while he read. These days, I think about where the next surprises will come from, not just the satisfaction and joy but the unexpected delights.
As September winds down, so does our little urban garden. We didn't have a bumper crop, but we're planning on doing better next time and maybe even starting next year's plants from seeds.
