Vent: My neighbor said my 'botany' was just expensive gardening

I had a big setup in my backyard in Austin, a mix of native Texas plants and some tropicals I was trying to keep alive. I was proud of it. My neighbor, an older guy who grows tomatoes, came over last month and said, 'You spend all this money on fancy dirt and grow lights, but you're just gardening. Real botany is about the science, not the shopping.' It stung, but he was right. I was more focused on buying gear than understanding the plants. I sold the expensive light and used the money to take a local college course on plant biology instead. Now I keep a detailed journal on my plants' growth and soil changes, not a receipt log. It changed the whole hobby for me. Has anyone else had a hobby called out like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

angela_allen5311d ago

Your neighbor sounds like a gatekeeping jerk.

maryh9611d ago

My old apartment complex was full of this attitude. People acted like they owned the shared garden space and could make the rules. It really does seem to be a common thing in a lot of communities.