The Rainforest Garden is for anyone who wants to try something new in the garden, be it growing bromeliads and bananas outdoors amid freeze warnings, making interesting displays for the home, or making a Thai dinner from plants in your garden. I aim to help anyone grow a piece of the tropics wherever they live!
Biography
Steve Asbell is a garden writer from Jacksonville, Florida with a tendency to talk about himself in third person narrative. So begins the legend of Steve: (Or view the full illustrated version)
A nature lover since childhood, Steve was destined to be a great garden writer from the beginning. In preschool he once spat in the class tadpole tank to "provide algae for the tadpoles to eat", and was promptly sent home by a horrified teacher. His courtship with nature continued in the playground, where Steve dodged baseballs and soccer balls while observing flowers and butterflies on his belly, much to the detriment of his social life.
When relocated to the Mojave desert along with his military family, Steve was content to chase lizards all day, returning home to read Ranger Rick magazine with his pet horned lizards and green anole by his side. It was around that time that our hero embarked on a field trip and found the tropical gardens at the San Diego Zoo, where he brought home a toy gecko (which he sagely named "Balboa" after the park) along with an undying fascination with the rainforest. The seeds of The Rainforest Garden were planted, though they weren't to germinate for many years.
Moving forward a decade, Asbell met Jennifer, the love of his life. Together they went on excursions into Florida's remaining wild areas such as the Fakahatchee Strand, and nature became entwined in their growing romance for better or worse. Steve was also going to school to be a graphic designer, and his future was all but set in stone.
However, this career was not to be. Steve's limited funds forced him to reconsider his career path and around the same time, his mother, Nancy Asbell, had then become confined to a wheelchair as a result of Lupus and a broken back. Nancy was rarely able to leave the house. She wasn't expected to live much longer, and was told that she'd never walk again.
Steve sought out to give his mom a gift. "Why not plant a garden for her to enjoy from the window?" Steve pondered. The Rainforest Garden was born. Little did Steve know that the gift he gave his mother was fast becoming his life calling! What started out as a few plants along the fence, morphed into a full fledged obsession. Nothing had ever invigorated our author like this before, and two dimensional designs and illustrations seemed quaint compared to the miniature jungle world that he set out to carve from a suburban yard.
Every week, Steve makes the forty minute drive from his apartment to "The Rainforest Garden" at his parent's place. He's also packed his own balcony full of tropical plants, and uses it as a staging area to start new plants that will eventually be planted across the St. Johns river, in his parent's garden.
Steve's mom is now walking, in utter defiance of the best doctor's predictions. For short periods at a time, she can now step into the garden that she once only saw from the patio.
Accolades
Steve has won many awards, none of which reflect his writing skills in the least. Mr. Asbell won a few awards in a community college art show, recently won some giveaways online, and once found a hundred dollars in a parking lot which he promptly wasted. The other day he won a dollar on a lottery scratch-off ticket.
Here's what critics have to say:
That is why your garden and 'collection' look like a hotel/motel entrance, only the flamingos are missing: Nursery shopping. - Antigonum Cajan, a respected blogger
Good info but so lacking in good photography... More (and better) pics please,this is a VISUAL medium:) - Constructive criticism from Lila, a commenter.
Your blog sucks and I hate your stupid face. - Steve Asbell... I am my own worst critic.
Policies
The Rainforest Garden doesn't accept compensation for write-ups, but if I like what you sell and its consistent with the my brand I'll let my readers know about it. Notable examples are Florida Friendly Plants, Tropiflora, and Moultrie Palms. Its common sense, people. Don't come at me with products like strollers and lamps. If you wish to advertise with The Rainforest Garden and its tropical gardening related, email me at steve_asbell@yahoo.com.
If you have a relevant guest post you'd like to share and you've proven to be a proficient writer on your own blog, please drop me a line. Likewise, if you'd like me to guest post on your blog, let me know and I'd be happy to work something out.
Please feel free to share, follow, retweet, stumble, etc. any post you found interesting or helpful! Also, don't hesitate to share your own "Rainforest Gardens", as I'd love to share what you're doing too!
Email: steve_asbell@yahoo.com
Twitter: @rainforestgardn
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