(TAMPA BAY) Tyler Singleton first learned to garden from his elders. One grandfather farmed tobacco, and his grandparents on the other side of the family planted crops as a hobby in their later years.
“I remember in my childhood—during the summers—going to North Carolina, and I would pull carrots and beets and dig for potatoes,” said Singleton. “I didn’t necessarily enjoy the whole lifecycle of seed to produce with them, but I got to enjoy that fun harvesting time.”
In his current garden, however, harvesting time has come and gone, and the rows that erupted with color last year have returned to vacant soil once again. The present moment does not disappoint Singleton. For him, transition phases became an opportunity.
Singleton said his plans for the coming season center more on the property than the plants. He selected a few seeds, but his focus right now is building new beds and setting up an irrigation system for when he goes on work trips. He recently installed a well in his front yard to work toward that goal.
Singleton bought his house in 2020 largely for the space to garden. The past owners struggled to take care of the large property due to their age. Once-bountiful fruit trees fell into poor health and wildlife took over much of the land. “I describe it as a property once very loved,” said Singleton.
Reshaping the area presented a different transition for Singleton. When he moved in, neglected trees covered the area that became his garden. He chopped them all down and rebuilt from bare ground. To replace what he cut, Singleton planted over three dozen—largely fruit-bearing—trees on the property.
Singleton said the changes he made helped turn the house he bought into his home. He said he planted bamboo to paint over the white fences that hurt his eyes when he opened the door. The landscape begins to resemble a more personal space as he puts down his roots, carrying the joy of gardening he learned from his grandparents.
Now, Singleton said, “This property gives you that hug.”