Articles by Jules Ivan Garay

Plant Killer: A Story of Hope and Greenery

Plant Killer: A Story of Hope and Greenery

I’ve always had a black thumb, much to my grandmother's chagrin. She could grow anything, and I grew up marveling at her abundant garden. The fresh produce was a delightful  
The Art and Soul of Garden Restoration

The Art and Soul of Garden Restoration

After 18 months of neglect, the state of my garden was predictable. It had gone to wrack and ruin, a casualty of my intense involvement in the Sandwich Generation, managing  
The Eternal Garden

The Eternal Garden

We had been in our new house for just a few months. My youngest daughter was four months old, and my eldest was almost three. Moving to a new country  
Love Grows: A Gardener’s Romance

Love Grows: A Gardener’s Romance

Valentine’s Day buzzed through the high-school halls like a whirlwind of anticipation, but for me, it wasn't about expecting grand gestures from my husband, John. As the girls chatted excitedly  
The Garden’s Embrace

The Garden’s Embrace

They chuckle when I begin cultivating tomatoes indoors, under artificial lights, seemingly in the midst of Winter. It’s not even the end of February, they jest. "She's quite the character,"  
Unfit for Domestication

Unfit for Domestication

My hands ache, bone-deep pain spawned by prolonged exposure to frigid air. Moisture frosts my eyelashes and stings my cheeks. I scan the vicinity for my husband, but he's gone.  
Tomatoes from Seed to Sauce

Tomatoes from Seed to Sauce

Tomato season starts in January when the ground is still frozen and a few tiny red tomatoes cling to lingering vines like ornaments dusted with snow. They are splashy color