How Does My Garden Grow?

Well, hey there, hi there, hello there, ladies! It’s me again, Wanda Wisdom. As you may recall, I’m your 36-year-old, delicious, sober, drag-queen hostess with the mostess! Summer is well under way, although with the weather we’ve been having, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was still springtime. That’s Minnesota for you!

In addition to being the original podcasting drag queen, I also hold the distinction of being the drag queen with the greenest thumb in all the land. Well, actually, I don’t know that for sure, but I’ve yet to hear of another queen who composts.

Anyway, I’ve found the act of planting a garden to be terribly therapeutic over the years. In addition to the calming powers proffered by digging in the dirt, I find myself marveling at the magic of Mother Nature. You stick a couple little plants in the soil, and after only a couple months of minimal care, voila!—you have your very own farmer’s market. It must be the city girl in me. Anytime I see food in its natural habitat beyond the walls of a big-box supermarket, I’m mesmerized.

Wanda, Wanda, not Jane Fonda, how does your garden grow? Without silver bells and cockleshells, that’s for sure. No, this year’s garden bounty is simple and straightforward. I have an herb garden full of basil, rosemary, thyme, mint, hyssop, and horseradish (which, did you know, is the 2011 herb of the year?). My vegetable garden is full of the things I love to eat: tomatoes, peppers, onions, and beans.

In addition, I’ve added peanuts to the list this year. I know, right? Peanuts. Who knew they grew in the ground? My secret garden favorite is a tiny little sweet fruit called the ground cherry. Think tiny, yellow, sweet, husk tomato. A handful of these guys with some sugar make the perfect ice cream topping.

Whether you garden yourself or benefit from the fruits of the labor of your friends and family, I hope you’ll partake of Mother Nature’s bounty as much as possible this summer. We have so little time to appreciate the season that it really behooves us to savor its delicacies whenever we can.

For pictures of my garden, head on over to http://wandawisdom.com!