Slow Gardening
A few weeks ago the New York Times did a story on Felder Rushing, a Mississippi-based gardener and writer. Rushing kind of reminds me of The Dude from the Big Lebowski and not just because he frequently gardens in his bathrobe. He operates under a Dude-like philosophy he calls slow gardening. The basic tenets? Chill out. Don’t try to do everything at once. Have fun.
My favorite part of the article mentioned that Rushing grows basil in the bed of his pickup truck. It’s his “container garden on wheels”. I happen to have a huge soft spot in my heart for cars and trucks with gardens in them. We once had an Organic Gardening reader who wrote in that she starts her tomatoes in the back of her Gremlin–the big glass window made the perfect greenhouse. While I don’t have my own garden on wheels, I thought I’d share photos of a couple that I saw on my trip to the Bay Area in March. These babies don’t roll any more, but they sure are cool!
This truck was parked on a sandy road about a block from the beach in Bolinas. I almost walked right on by until I glanced in the back. A garden of weeds and wildflowers had sprouted up in the decomposing leaves that filled the bed of the truck. It was just begging for someone to throw in a few basil seeds.
A few days after I spotted the garden truck in Bolinas, I met Kelly from Make, Grow, Gather at Flora Grubb–a fantasy land of a nursery that specializes in succulents and palms, but also has a small, but fascinating, collection of edibles. Other than the salsify that Kelly picked up, my favorite part of Flora Grubb is an old car that Flora (who owns the nursery) turned into pretty much the coolest planter ever. I think it proves that one person’s junk is another’s treasure.
Awesome. That totally kicks ass.
Here’s one for you, complete with a virgin mary to watch over it…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lelonopo/99012070/
Felder Rushing’s advice to slow down and just have fun is a very good reminder.
May 20th, 2009 at 4:04 pmHi Willi and Gardening Gang,
Love all the pictures! My husband says he wants an old classic truck to fix up. He said he would park it in our RV parking area. That area only has an apricot tree and a few daffodils. Hummmmm. Ideas of what to plant in that truck are rushing through my head. @};- I agree with you Willi that Flora’s creation is the coolest planter ever.
Mammaw
P.S. Felder Rushing in Mississippi isn’t the only bathrobe gardener. My hubby was appalled a few days ago when I went in my robe to quickly water our moonflowers. (It is a very modest robe.)
May 20th, 2009 at 10:32 pmLoving the succulents garden on the roof!
May 21st, 2009 at 12:54 amLove these pictures! Thanks for sharing!
May 21st, 2009 at 6:58 amVery nice! The Solar Living Institute in Hopland, CA was first designed with old cars placed along HWY 101, which passes right by the institute. Trees were planted into the cars. I don’t know if you can even see them anymore, but here’s the website. It was super cool…and regardless of whether the car garden is still visible, this is a must-see spot for anyone green!
http://www.solarliving.org/display.asp?catid=50&pageid=35
May 21st, 2009 at 9:30 amHey Willi,
Felder Rushing was in our area (VA Beach) about 3 months ago speaking at a home & garden show. I had made plans to go to it but got sick the day before and didn’t make it. I was bummed out for days after that…really wanted to meet him!!
Enjoyed the photos!
May 21st, 2009 at 6:45 pmfelderrushing.net he has a website! and there are pics of his garden and of many fine bottle trees! this is a helpful post, thank you. it is my first year trying to grow food in earnest, rather than just a few things here and there and i do feel rushed and time pressured. looking forward to hearing you at s.s.c.c. on sat.
May 21st, 2009 at 7:32 pmwhoa- is that safe with the metals and paint and all? Looks cool! Real Goods in Hopland CA has a car garden, organic, I’m sure, but not edible. I’ve been scavenging for garden objects and thought about it recently. Car gardens and beyond.
Katharine
May 21st, 2009 at 7:53 pmNow I know what to do with my husband’s 1974 yellow VW Squareback!
Thanks, Willi!
XOIvette
May 22nd, 2009 at 8:11 pm