This week, I received a call from my next door neighbor, Marilyn. She was at the grocery store and they had just unloaded a fine selection of Japanese maples (I find it amazing you can buy trees at almost any grocery store during spring). Marilyn called to get my “expert” opinion, “Can I plant this in my yard and where should I plant it?” Aren’t we all guilty of this type of impulse buy?
She is retired and has back problems. So whenever Marilyn buys a plant, I get the privilege of planting it for her. The entire neighborhood and planet Earth benefit, so yes, I am very happy to plant her Japanese maple tree. I was once told to be the kind of person I wanted my children to grow up to be. That is why it’s important for me to show my children how to volunteer and help others, without expecting something in return. The girls and I helped Marilyn unload the tree from her SUV and then put on our gloves and did some planting!
Coincidentally, this is National Volunteer Week, proclaimed by President Obama. In his proclamation it states:
“Today, as many Americans face hardship, we need volunteers more than ever. Service opportunities tap the energy and ingenuity of our greatest resource — the American people — to improve our neighborhoods and our world.“
He encourages us to discover our own power to make a difference. In honor of President Obama’s proclamation, I thought I would encourage you to use your gardening skills to help others. Here are a few ideas:
- Plant a tree for your neighbor
- Mow a lawn for a busy mom
- Remove debris from a flower bed
- Help build a raised bed
- Start a community garden
- Plant an extra row in your garden for the food bank
- Serve on a school garden committee
- Present a vase of flowers from your garden to a shut-in
- Bring a hanging basket to someone in a nursing home
- Prune a shrub or tree for a neighbor
Involve your kids and pass on the legacy of volunteerism, it will make your impulse buys more meaningful.
What an easy way to teach our kids to love others!
I appreciate these ideas… thanks!
Thanks Katy! I hope you can “pass it forward” through gardening!
Love this Article!!! I am a Master Gardener thru Agri Life Extention Texas A&M System for Cameron County, Texas I just Graduated on the 15th of Apirl this year It is an Organization of Volunteers who through public education teach the art and science of Horticulture to our County! I encourage all to take this Course, the Master Gardener Program is offered in alot of places. I have helped in creating a Children’s Church Garden at our Community Church this year! The Children love it so much!!! Plus it is teaching them so many Values as well as helping out our Planet Earth!!!
I volunteer one day a week each at Hampton Court Palace and at Chartwell. They are very different gardens and I enjoy my work at them both very much!
Thanks for the ideas, I have only this week volunteered to plant bulbs in Autumn to flower in the Spring next year on a piece of grassland at the end of our road, the entrance to the village, not only to brighten the area up, but bring a little cheer to everyone’s life.
Most churches use volunteers to plant flowers and shrubs.
I volunteer at a botanic garden, but that certainly has nothing to do with President Obama
I am part of our horticultural society in Georgetown Ontario. We look after and maintain many gardens in our community. Love being a part of the healing process of this over cemented world.
I too have back problems and am restricted from heavy garden activity. I admire your giving spirit.
Lovely thought helping out on the community. Awesome item thank you.
I do my neighbours garden. Not because he can’t, infact I’m the one with the bad back, but because he can’t be bothered. I get the joy of turning his patch into something worth looking at as well as my own. I also help my local street association by running small gardening events and I even got some money so we could offer containers planted up with edible flowers and veg. We had a great turn out. There are loads of little pots of money you can go for to do neighbourhood gardening things. Gor for it everyone.
Thanks for your heart-felt inspirational story. I too am starting a “grassroots” movement in my community to bring awareness to the amazing bounty the earth can still provide us through planting and gardening. Although my health is in slow decline, it is your type of spirit that makes me plod on-) Thank you:-)
I volunteer in our community garden, and we grow for ourselves and for the food basket.