I ran into a statistic the other day that amazed me.
Did you know that more than 67 million people in the U.
S.
are into gardening? I mean, we're talking people who just like to go out and plant things, not professional landscapers.
Then, I began to wonder how many of them had ADD.
Even then, it occurred to me that people with ADD might shy away from something they'd like to do because they feel their ADD will step in and help their gardens to fail.
But here's the thing: You can plan your garden with ADD in mind, and do the thing you love.
There's no reason to avoid it! Here's what I mean: * Forget planting most things from seed.
Unless you're planting sunflowers or marigolds, seed plants usually take lots of care, and when the ADD memory just forgets, you'll be upset when your plant dies.
Sunflowers and marigolds take hold with practically no care at all.
*Plan to plant flowers that come up every year, like crocuses and daffodils.
You don't have to worry too much about tending them, and like irises, hellbores, and daylillies, they'll look great with little effort after the initial planting.
* Stay away from geometric designs.
Something dies and your whole plan will look bad.
Stick to planting randomly.
It's what we do best anyway.
Your garden may not look "cultured" like some very well-planned gardens, but your flowers will still be attractive and save you tons of aggravation.
* Do the hard work jobs when you're really feeling like getting out there and working in the sun.
Let the ADD hyperfocus kick in and mulch or fertilize then.
You'll be done before you have time to get bored.
*Never use plants or flowers that require constant watering.
Coleus, for example, will wilt pretty quickly if you forget to water for even just a couple of days.
Instead, use plants and flowers that can stand being ignored for a while, until you remember to water them.
* If you want color, plant trees and bushes that flower, like crepe myrtles, hibiscus, and azalea.
Once they take root, they'll be fine with regular summer rains.
* When all else fails, get your family involved.
Show the kids how much fun planting and watching things grow can be.
Get them to remember the watering and weeding schedule.
I'm sure your local garden center can come up with even more ideas for you to get started.
You also have to consider what grows in your part of the world and when the best time to plant things is, and the pros there can help with that, too.
One thing to remember, when all else fails, is that some weeds have pretty flowers, too.
Did you know that more than 67 million people in the U.
S.
are into gardening? I mean, we're talking people who just like to go out and plant things, not professional landscapers.
Then, I began to wonder how many of them had ADD.
Even then, it occurred to me that people with ADD might shy away from something they'd like to do because they feel their ADD will step in and help their gardens to fail.
But here's the thing: You can plan your garden with ADD in mind, and do the thing you love.
There's no reason to avoid it! Here's what I mean: * Forget planting most things from seed.
Unless you're planting sunflowers or marigolds, seed plants usually take lots of care, and when the ADD memory just forgets, you'll be upset when your plant dies.
Sunflowers and marigolds take hold with practically no care at all.
*Plan to plant flowers that come up every year, like crocuses and daffodils.
You don't have to worry too much about tending them, and like irises, hellbores, and daylillies, they'll look great with little effort after the initial planting.
* Stay away from geometric designs.
Something dies and your whole plan will look bad.
Stick to planting randomly.
It's what we do best anyway.
Your garden may not look "cultured" like some very well-planned gardens, but your flowers will still be attractive and save you tons of aggravation.
* Do the hard work jobs when you're really feeling like getting out there and working in the sun.
Let the ADD hyperfocus kick in and mulch or fertilize then.
You'll be done before you have time to get bored.
*Never use plants or flowers that require constant watering.
Coleus, for example, will wilt pretty quickly if you forget to water for even just a couple of days.
Instead, use plants and flowers that can stand being ignored for a while, until you remember to water them.
* If you want color, plant trees and bushes that flower, like crepe myrtles, hibiscus, and azalea.
Once they take root, they'll be fine with regular summer rains.
* When all else fails, get your family involved.
Show the kids how much fun planting and watching things grow can be.
Get them to remember the watering and weeding schedule.
I'm sure your local garden center can come up with even more ideas for you to get started.
You also have to consider what grows in your part of the world and when the best time to plant things is, and the pros there can help with that, too.
One thing to remember, when all else fails, is that some weeds have pretty flowers, too.