Periodically I consider life after stay-at-home parenting and I am not sure it involves the lucrative, though not exactly exciting career of corporate compliance that I used to call my daily grind. I think I may finally take a clue from my past of growing corn in a sandbox and landscaping earthen dams as an elementary schooler to growing and propagating african violets as a teenager and then as an adult always having a garden or at least a balcony full of potted plants. Clearly, working with plants makes me happy and why not try to do for a living what makes me happy.
Just the other day I was browsing through a continuing ed. catalog from the local university, University of Washington, when I saw a program that peaked my curiosity. A certificate in Therapeutic Gardens. I think this is the program for me. I have considered landscape design in the past, but was having a difficult time getting excited about it and landscape designers always seemed so “dime a dozen.” This program sounds like an interesting niche of landscaping that hopefully has a good future, especially as the baby boomers age. It is also more in line with why I garden and the joy and relaxation my garden brings me. Year round interest, texture, blooms, color, motion, wildlife, morning, noon and night interest are characteristics that I consider in my garden and with some formal training, I think I could bring 24×7, year round gardens to others, especially those challenged by age or infirmity and really feel satisfaction and enjoyment from the endeavor.
My children are still too young for me to go to school this year, but hopefully this program will still be offered in 2009!
