--- title: "What Kind of Gardener Are You?" description: "You already know you’re a plant person, but there are all types of gardening enthusiasts on this green earth. Find out whether you're more Turf Warrior, Bumper Cropper, or..." date: "2022-02-16" modified: "2022-02-16" authors: - name: "Nina Malkin" job_title: "Contributing Writer & Editor" link: "https://www.bobvila.com/authors/nina-malkin/" url: "https://www.bobvila.com/articles/what-kind-of-gardener-are-you/" categories: - "Lawn & Garden" --- # What Kind of Gardener Are You? ![What Kind of Gardener Are You?]() *Photo: istockphoto.com* ## Fess Up, Garden Fanatic! You’ve been puttering aimlessly in the potting shed with your hat and gloves on, kicking despondently at the [frozen dirt]() in your yard. It's not unusual for you to drive repeatedly past your favorite nursery, gazing out with longing. Well, warmer weather is right around the corner, and you’ll soon be able to get growing again. To amuse yourself in the meantime, get in touch with what kind of [gardener]() you really are with these 10 planter profiles. **RELATED: [10 Things Every New Gardener Needs to Know]()** ## The Flower Fiend ![What Kind of Gardener Are You?]() *Photo: istockphoto.com* A [lawn]()? How pedestrian! Vegetables? You’re not a farmer, you’re a gardener, for goodness’ sake! You [fancy flowers](), from the first [crocuses of spring]() through the [mums]() and dahlias of autumn. Blooms are everywhere, front curb to backyard, and there’s not a room inside your home that doesn’t boast a bouquet. You believe your plots rival those of Hidcote, Sissinghurst Castle, and other famous British gardens for their flowers. Indeed, after a few hours lost among your precious petals, you’re prone to start speaking with an English accent! **Identifying marks:** Daisy-chain crown, rose-colored glasses **Common call:** “Flower power!” ## The Caring Conservationist ![What Kind of Gardener Are You?]() *Photo: istockphoto.com* [Compost]()? Of course! You wouldn’t dream of using commercial fertilizer in your organic garden. You pooh-pooh all pesticides, too. Instead, you invite [beneficial insects to your garden]() to prey on destructive bugs. And why bother with store-bought fencing or [trellises]() when you can construct your own using twigs discovered right there in your yard? Why, you even knit your own bird netting out of hemp yarn! **Identifying marks:** DIY cardboard Crocs, overalls inherited from grandpa **Common call:** “Natural or nothing!” ## The Tomato King ![What Kind of Gardener Are You?]() *Photo: istockphoto.com* Regular people just don’t understand the deep and abiding relationship you share with *Solanum lycopersicum*. [Tomatoes]() are the only vegetable you have any interest in nurturing ([from seeds](), of course), and you’ve grown them all, from the robust red Alicante to the delicately striped Green Zebra. Your ultimate vacation would be a visit to San Marzano sul Sarno in Italy, where the delicate namesake fruits were first grown in the volcanic soil of Mount Vesuvius. You also consider the 1978 cult classic *Attack of the Killer Tomatoes* to be a documentary. **Identifying marks:** Bright red baseball cap, tomato cage **Common call:** “Lycopene rules!” **RELATED: [Solved! How to Overcome 11 Common Tomato Plant Problems]()** ## The Bumper Cropper ![What Kind of Gardener Are You?]() *Photo: istockphoto.com* Let’s just say you’re [green-thumb]() generous to a fault. It’s not that the neighbors dislike you; they’re just compelled to hide behind closed doors in late summer when they see you coming with your home-grown bonanza, be it a dozen foot-long zucchinis or a bushel of tomatoes. Well, if they don’t answer the [doorbell](), you’ll just deposit that produce plenty on every porch in the cul-de-sac. After all, you’re a positive person, so when life gives you vegetables, you make [gazpacho]()...and then serve it by the gallon at the Labor Day block party. **Identifying marks:** Straw hat, “Kiss the Gardener” apron **Common call:** “Here!” ## The Hunter-Gatherer ![What Kind of Gardener Are You?]() *Photo: istockphoto.com* You’re proud of your garden, and you’re equally proud of the fact that you [didn’t pay a dime]() for virtually any of it. Most of your veggies—celery, lettuce, potatoes, and more—are grown from table scraps. Your [roses]() and hydrangeas come from cuttings surreptitiously snagged from a nearby park, while those forsythia and lilacs are the direct result of sucker shoots (courtesy of your grandmother’s shrubs). And, sure, you purchased some seedlings back around 2016, so these days your tomatoes are all volunteers. **Identifying marks:** Thrifted clothes, permanent pocket shears **Common call:** “Why buy?” ## The Quixotic Never-Quitter ![What Kind of Gardener Are You?]() *Photo: istockphoto.com* The Man of La Mancha thought he had it tough battling windmills! You constantly go up against the laws of nature. Whether you’re trying to cultivate species far afield of [your USDA hardiness zone]() or create lovely loam out of your rocky, sandy soil, your garden is an impossible dream. But will you give up on harvesting avocados in Maine? Never! **Identifying marks:** Hawaiian shirt, snow boots **Common call:** “Too much sanity may be madness—and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!” **RELATED: [11 Age-Old Gardening Tips to Ignore Completely]()** ## The Professor ![What Kind of Gardener Are You?]() *Photo: istockphoto.com* You’re thrilled that your pride and joy made the local garden tour! So are your neighbors, who are sick of hearing you pontificate about the care and feeding of every leaf, petal, stem, and seed when they only dropped by to return a borrowed [hedge trimmer](). Strangers, they hope, may provide the captive audience you crave—just don’t count on repeat visits! **Identifying marks:** Rubber clogs, cap and gown **Common call:** “Ah, the noble nierembergia...” ## The Weed Whisperer ![What Kind of Gardener Are You?]() *Photo: istockphoto.com* Some call them weeds; you call them [indigenous plants](). Queen Anne’s lace, chicory, lamb’s quarters, clover, even the humble [dandelion](): You love them all. Not just beautiful, they can protect and condition soil and [attract pollinators](). Some are even edible! Sure, there are some “real” plants in your plot, but you can’t bear to pull any of these spunky specimens and allow them to grow willy-nilly. You always root for the underdog, and you mean “root” literally! **Identifying marks:** Messy bun, clothes in mismatched patterns **Common call:** “But they’re so pretty!” ## The Turf Warrior ![What Kind of Gardener Are You?]() *Photo: istockphoto.com* Maybe it’s all that time spent on the links, but for you it’s gotta be grass—nothing but neatly shorn, even blades of [gorgeous green grass](). Yeah, you play the long lawn game, and you play to win. Your [mower]() is top of the line, ditto for your [sprinkler system](). The shelves of your shed are filled with turf-care products, lined up with precise organization. Sure, you’ll admit it: You vacuum the lawn when necessary. Frisbee? Croquet? Foot traffic of any kind? Just try it, buddy—you’ll be sorry! **Identifying marks:** Golf hat (green, of course) **Common call:** “Get off the grass!” **RELATED: [10 Lawn Game Trends for Backyard Fun]()** ## The Lazybones ![What Kind of Gardener Are You?]() *Photo: istockphoto.com* What good is a personal Eden if you can’t kick back in it? So you’re [lax about your lawn](), you often forget to fertilize, and deadheading flowers requires way too much effort (never mind pulling weeds). You enjoy the overgrown quality of your garden—plus, it provides excellent cover if your partner comes looking for you to do indoor chores! Of course, that persnickety guy across the street may complain about your imperfect curb appeal, but if he doesn’t like it he can come trim the hedges himself. **Identifying marks:** Oversize hat (ideal for pulling over the eyes), pajama bottoms **Common call:** “I’ll do it tomorrow...” ## Author Nina Malkin began her journalism career in the magazine industry with diverse “beats” including entertainment, lifestyle, and relationships. She’s also a published novelist. Her interest in the shelter arena began when she started contributing to the BobVila.com team in 2016.