Growing a Green Thumb

For the past few months, I've been attempting to be a gardener. I must confess that I did not approach it systematically. Watching Home and Garden TV you'd think that maintaining a garden is easy. I mean how hard could it be? I already have the basics at home.

• A garden with lush plants (started by my dad when he visited over Christmas)
• A constant supply of tap water and the occasional rainshowers
• Sunlight -- lots of that here in the Philippines

What more do I need to know? 

Well, 3 months after my dad left... and me taking care of the garden... all of the orchids no longer have blooms. The back garden is full of weeds, overgrown grass and dog shit. 3 of the potted herbs have already died. 

I don't know what went wrong? I water the plants everyday. I make sure they get enough sun. Except for the back garden, which I must admit, I really completely neglected. But, that's about to change now. I refuse to be defeated by a garden. I can learn this. I know it.

I now have a new action plan. 

1. Know the plants growing in my garden.
2. Research on how to properly take care of them.
3. Read the plant books lying around the house.
• Reader's Digest Success with House Plants
• Plants and Health
4. Use my membership to Manila Seedling Plant.

But before all this, I should clean the back garden. Dreading the dog shit.