I've only recently embraced my green thumb. This isn't a prelude to an amputation story, but one of a love for plants, flowers and the outdoors. I'm particularly interested in nature against urban landscapes, perhaps because I live in a concrete jungle and somehow have to integrate my love for greenery with my attraction to urban access. Plus, my mom did tell me once that, as a small child, I loved playing in the dirt—all the time.

Recently, I've embarked on small projects like beautifying the tree in front of the brownstone in which I live, starting a small herb garden for the building, and caring for my growing number of houseplants. Just recently, I rescued a palm tree that some Manhattanite callously abandoned on the curb. My boyfriend helped me get it home, amid screams of profanities from a cab driver rightfully annoyed by the fronds blocking his rear view and the soil smothering his floor mats. For the trouble, we named the plant "Journey."

I am not alone in my like of flora. There was a discussion started in the forum recently about gardening. "Are there any gardeners out there?" one reader asks. "It's one of my passions and here in the lower Midwest we are having one of the best springs ever." Readers have responded with pictures of their gardens and lawns.

I'm looking forward to learning more about gardening. One of my favorite sites about the art of nature is theoccasionalgardener.com. The images and interpretations of the landscapes are stunning. Another must-read is the popular gardening how-to blog gaygardener.com.

Novices like me or seasoned thumbs, join me as I play in the dirt and in our gay gardening discussion.

Related:
11 Ways Gay Men Can Go Green

_{Image: Cherry branch in pot. Courtesy of Theoccasionalgardener.com}