Houseplants, orchids, succulents, cacti, perennials, vegetables, fruits, annuals, even carnivorous plants and carnivorous water plants – there seems to be nothing in the Kingdom Plantae that does not fascinate and intrigue 16-year old Garrett Spring.
The Hilton High School student received his first plant at the age of seven and began gardening at age eight, meaning he has spent half of his young life pursuing the hobby and science of growing things. “I get so much from gardening,” Garrett explains.
Perhaps he is drawn to plants by way of his own genetics, his great-grandfather ran a nursery on the property where Garrett lives today and Garrett prizes the terra cotta pots, greenhouses and plants that remain from those times. A huge boxwood that harkens back to the nursery grows near the pond. “I remember when we would make forts in there,” Garrett says.
Garrett was first bitten by the gardening bug appropriately enough by carnivorous houseplants and other exotics, and there was no turning back. His first garden of perennials continues to flourish, but now there is more, so very much more.
Garrett grows all kinds of shrubs, annuals, perennials, edibles, flowers and herbs – many from seed – and makes use of everything. Fruits and vegetables are eaten in season, herbs are used in teas to to help ward off illness and elderberries are harvested and turned into syrup, which, “is an immunity booster,” Garrett says.
He is an authority on begonias, cacti, succulents and orchids – “I’ve been collecting them since I was 12, they are easy to grow if you have the right conditions” Garrett says of orchids – all of his favorites flourish in his greenhouses. In the winter, greens for salads are also grown there. Visiting the greenhouse in the winter is “a tonic,” Garrett explains. His “cacti house,” located in one of the greenhouses is, “the pride and joy of what I do,” he says.
He collects seeds and propagates plants at his “propagation station.”
Garrett admits most young people his age have other interests – video games, electronics and social media, but he is happy to do his own thing. “The garden is the place to be,” he says. “People need to get back to nature, they need to get outside more. My troubles melt away in what I am doing while I’m in the garden.”
He muses that the process of gardening cultivates more than fruits and flowers – the care and nurturing of plants and landscapes – helps one to develop love, empathy, understanding and patience, Garrett observes. “I wish more people would see that you can get so much from gardening,” he notes.
Garrett’s gardens, situated north of Route 104, have soil which is a rich, sandy loam. Everything thrives, but Garret says the wildlife this year have been merciless.
Flowers and cut flowers are also grown. Garrett enjoys harvesting some fresh for bouquets, while others he dries for crafting in the fall and winter. “Lisianthus is my favorite cut flower,” Garret says. Gladiolus are also an important flower crop. He just leaves the bulbs in the ground each fall and they happily come back in the spring.
More amazingly, Garrett does all this with disabilities – some stemming from birth and others stemming from health issues which have arisen over the years and have left him with a prosthetic leg. He also lost his mother at the age of 10.
The challenges have, at times, made it impossible for Garrett to attend school on a regular basis, but he moves freely throughout the garden, saying that you have to adapt to the challenges you face. Gardening is a way that, “helps me heal and cope,” he observes.
Garrett gives special thanks to his aunt – Karen Smith – who has worked with him on all his gardening projects and shares his love of gardening. The two often visit garden centers together to hunt for new plants and share a special perennial flower bed in front of Garrett’s home.
“My aunt is so important to everything,” he says. “None of this would be possible if it weren’t for her. She helps and appreciates what I do. It is so important to have people who help and support you.”
In addition to gardening, music plays a big role in Garrett’s life. He sings, writes poetry, plays guitar and has been, “writing music for two years.”
He and his girlfriend get together to play and record music regularly. “We work together on songs,” Garrett says. “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.” He describes his music as earthy and acoustic – just right for an avid gardener.
Garrett is looking forward to getting back to school and finishing high school over the next couple of years.
“You get out of it what you put into it,” he observes of life – whether it’s at school, in the recording studio or out in the garden – “I plan to keep taking care of plants and getting beautiful grades.”
