The Truth About Plant Nerds (or Leave No Plant Behind!)

When I returned home from my momma's funeral, I was determined not to leave any of the beautiful plantings that were given to honor her. This meant a 5.5 hour drive in something that looked like a mobile terrarium. But I am not alone in my plant obsession. Let me know if you can relate to this fun list by Jimmy Turner. 

21 Ways to know if you're a HortiHolic!  by Jimmy Turner

1.You took a career in gardening for the free plant benefits!
2.You’ve crossed international lines with plants in your underwear or socks.
3.You’ve dug something up in a cemetery that wasn’t dead  (or you keep a shovel in your car)
4.Your yard is planted in drifts of one

5.You “liberated” a cutting, seed, flower or plant from a public garden, park or garden center without asking or paying
6.You’ve lied to your loved ones about how much you spent on a plant/plants
7.You’ve seriously considered not divorcing someone, moving to a better job, or upgrading to a better house because you couldn’t move all of your plants
8.You’ve pushed, prodded, elbowed, kneed, blocked or in any way been less than nice at a plant sale
9.You’re trying to grow a shade tree from a seed or a 4” pot
10.You save old blankets and coats to protect plants in your garden during winter that should never be considered hardy here in the first place
11.You’ve broken up with someone for hating yard work or their dog dug up one of your plants
12.You buy plants with no idea where they are going in your garden….
13.You’ve moved a plant in your yard more than 3 times  (Gardening is just musical chairs with plants)
14.You can’t experience a garden without browsing... Like a sheep, nibbling, smelling, touching, fondling.
15.You can remember plant names better than people’s names...
16.Your boss, spouse, family don’t understand that you love the green of plants more than the green of money
17.You have a picture of a plant in your purse or cell phone you show off to friends or you’re carrying around a pic/plant to have identified
18.If you’d rather have a truck load of compost than a bouquet of roses or a box of chocolates...
19.If you walk around your yard and describe plants by the names of the people you got them from....
20.The sales people at your local nursery know you by first name
21. Newest one... You move completely on the other side of the globe to follow your dream!

Jimmy Turner
Director of Horticulture for the Royal Botanic Garden and Domain Trust, Sydney, Australia