Timothy Hammond -Big City Gardener
The Educator and Gardener tells us what keeps him inspired and about how important he feels nature is in our ever more switched on world.
Q. Your typical day
My typical day has changed ever since COVID-19 hit. I start the day in my garden and end the day in my garden. In between, I spend a good portion of my day helping home school my kids, working at my community garden, and any other garden project I have on the menu.
We just had a once-in-a-century freeze here in Houston, so right now, I am working on replanting and revitalizing the gardens that were damaged.
Q.What inspired you to start helping others with your knowledge?
My desire to see more people garden.
I feel gardening is the best hobby in the world.
Besides the produce you receive, it also great for your mental health. Also, I think gardening is a gateway to caring about other environmental issues plaguing our planet.
Q.What’s your earliest memory in the garden?
Honestly, I am not sure. I know that both my parents are avid gardeners, who had me in the garden when I was young. I remember getting in trouble for throwing my mother’s tomatoes at birds on my neighbor’s roof when I was 8.
Do you think a connection to nature and the wild is important for us in the times we live in now and if so why?
I think the relationship with nature is one of the most important things. With advancements in technology, it seems as if people forget about the importance of nature and all it provides for us.
Reestablishing this connection can help us notice and develop plans to solve the problems plaguing the world.
What does your dream garden look like?
I think every garden is beautiful in its own way. Somedays I like raised beds, somedays I like in-ground beds. If I had to choose, I would say an organic garden, with healthy, rich soil with a pond or water feature for the beneficial insects. And a greenhouse big enough to start all of the necessary plants for the garden.
Do you have any advice for others to connect to nature and the wild more every day?
Start a garden Regardless of where you live or the amount of space you have available, start a garden.
Your top 3 favourite flowers/plants/edibles
- Calendula
- Sweet potatoes
- Peppers
About: Timothy Hammond is an avid gardener who has been gardening since he was a child. He attributes his passion for gardening to his parents, both avid gardeners. With an infectious love and passion for organic gardening and soil health, Timothy believes everyone can garden. This love led to Big City Gardener’s creation (bigcitygardener.com) in 2017. Big City Gardener’s mission is to get as many people as possible to JUST GROW IT, which means growing their food.
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About:
Timothy Hammond is an avid gardener who has been gardening since he was a child. He attributes his passion for gardening to his parents, both avid gardeners. With an infectious love and passion for organic gardening and soil health, Timothy believes everyone can garden. This love led to Big City Gardener’s creation (bigcitygardener.com) in 2017. Big City Gardener’s mission is to get as many people as possible to JUST GROW IT, which means growing their food.
Frustrated with the complexity of the information available to potential gardeners, Timothy focuses on removing the anxiety associated with new gardeners by breaking down topics and making them understandable and straightforward to follow along. Timothy believes gardening is a way to relax and reconnect to our food, nature, and the environment.
Residing in Houston, TX, a couple of blocks away from downtown, the Big City Gardener teaches all about urban gardening. He believes the amount of space you have should not hinder your ability or desire to grow. He uses his 400 sqft garden to instill these practices and inspire others.
Timothy shares his knowledge and love for gardening with the world on various social media platforms: Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, bigcitygardener.com, and the JUST GROW IT podcast.
Featured in magazines and other online publications such as Good Morning America, Apartment Therapy, Huffington Post, Cnet, and others, he hopes to inspire everyone to understand that the ability to grow a garden is within all of us. It is not a particular skill that you have to born with to be successful.
