Basketball season has begun and our thoughts turn to gardening, as they always do.
If a gardener is going to follow a sport, I’ve always suggested it should be basketball, especially pro basketball, as in the NBA, because it’s timed so that its season doesn’t interfere with most gardening activities, at least here in USDA Zone 5.
For the most part, the season begins in late fall, after the first frost. Then it ends by mid-April, a few weeks before the last frost, especially if your team plays like my team these last few years and does not make it to the playoffs.
There are also several simliarities between basketball and gardening.
Both basketball and gardening sometimes involve digging holes. In basketball, that’s not a good thing, as it usually means you’ve fallen behind by a lot of points and it would take a miracle to get caught up.
Digging a big hole can be a not-so-good thing in the garden, too. We can dig a big figurative hole if we let weeds grow out of control all season. Then we end up with not enough time to pull them all out. The weeds win, we lose, so we can relate to the frustration a basketball team feels when they dig a big hole and lose a game because of it.
Both basketball and gardening involves trees. Basketball is played on a hardwood floor, which of course comes from trees, and most gardening involves some trees. And some of the players are as tall as trees, too.
Both basketball and gardening bring to mind peaches. The first basketball games were played with peach baskets tacked up to the wall and many gardeners grow peaches and other fruits in their gardens. And what gardener doesn’t have a peach basket or two squirrelled away in their garage or shed?
For years, I didn’t think that anyone realized how perfect a sport basketball is for gardeners to follow!
Then I walked into the gift shop for the Indiana Pacers a few days ago and found… you are never going to believe it… or maybe you will believe it…
A team gnome!
Finally, life has come full circle.
Gardening meets basketball. Basketball meets gardening.
My new team gnome came home with me this evening and is currently hiding behind the Christmas cactus, pictured above, out of the glare of the lights of the gift shop.
Someone asked me if it has a name. All gnomes have names! This one is named gBloomer (with a silent “g”), which rhymes with Boomer, the name of the Indiana Pacers mascot.
Who can deny now how perfect a sport basketball is for a gardener to follow?
Welcome to May Dreams Gardens, gBloomer.
And gardeners divide plants and make cuttings to s-t-r-e-t-c-h their materials for the garden just like basketball players stretch to reach their goals. Just like you s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d to write this post!!! The gnome is unbelieveable – they'll sell anything! So, did they win? Not many Spurs games on TV yet, anxious for season to get on with it!
Did they win? No, they dug as big a hole as I've ever seen them dig. The new gnome and I couldn't get out of there fast enough!
Well, it's early. And my guy Manu Ginobli swatted a BAT on the court and had to have a dozen rabies shots. Duh!
I saw him tucked in the first photo. This is classic!
What a funny post Carol. I will have to have my BIL and DB read this since they like pro basketball. I am still not convinced though. Gbloomer is a handsome dude for your garden. You will have to put up a small peach basket for him and his buddies to shoot around.
LOL! They saw you coming, and designed a gnome just for you. Enjoy the little guy.~~Dee
My "sport" in the winter is housecleaning. Amazing how dirty and cluttered the house is after the first hard frost, and how it never needs cleaning after the first snowdrop blooms.
And you are the coach for all of us raw prospects in gardening, Carol! My thoughts have been turning toward basketball ever since the Illinois football team lost to Purdue. Of course, I like college basketball instead, though I do enjoy watching Deron Williams and the Utah Jazz. Looks like Purdue is the team to beat this year!
Only you can make a connection from any subject to gardening! A talent I much admire! Love the gnome! gail
This post reminds me of the dad from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," only instead of connecting everything to Greek, you connect everything to gardening.
No way, Carol – gardening can't be the same as basketball because my garden sometimes makes me weep and Tom Hanks said there's no crying in basketball and… oh, wait a minute. That was baseball.
Gnever mind.
Gnome-Gneutral
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I'm betting that at half-time your gnome hears the call of the wild and heads out to one of the four corners in the garden.
Signed, ACC fan
That is hysterical, Carol. My son is playing basketball this year and I know I'll be spending more time on the court than in the backyard for awhile.
That gnome is too much! Wonder if they make one in a Knicks jersey?
if your readers are looking for more information on USDA plant hardiness zones, there is a detailed, interactive USDA plant hardiness zone map at http://www.plantmaps.com/usda_hardiness_zone_map.php