How to Pamper Yourself After a Hard Day in the Garden

Our June Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest winner of a bottle of Honey Glow Natual Products goat's milk lotion with lavender is Alexandria Lippincott of University Park, MD. Thank you to Honey Glow for sponsoring this month's contest. BTW, If you have a garden-related product and would like to sponsor a future reader contest giveaway, contact me directly at WashingtonGardener (a) rcn (dot) com.

We asked our contest entrants to tell us how they pampered themselves after a hard day out gardening. (Surprisingly, all our entrants this month were female, even though half of our readership is male. Was it the word "pamper" that scared them off?)

Deborah C. of  Alexandria, VA, had me green with envy when she said, "After a hard day's work in the garden, I like to pamper myself by being waited on by my husband with a freshly made mojito from mint in the garden!" If only I could train my two cats to do the same!

Martha S. of Silver Spring, MD said:
"My Favorite way to pamper myself after a hard day working in the garden actually has three phases:
After watering, dead-heading, weed pulling, and general clean up, the very first thing I always do is sit back in my Adirondack chair with a cool iced tea and look over my domain of sweet flowers, skittish butterflies and dragonflies, and the precious birds and squirrels and enjoy the cool breeze. Second, I will go inside and slip into a sudsy warm bubble bath and close my eyes with the thoughts of the garden awash in my head. Once I finally manage to climb out of the tub, I will massage my skin with some refreshing lotion and then I may settle down with a good gardening magazine (to get more ideas, of course!) and maybe fall into sweet slumber for a much needed afternoon nap. What a great way to spend a day!"

"I pamper myself after a hard day of gardening with a soak in luxurious and soothing bubble bath," said Madeline C. of Washington, DC. The good soak in the tub was a popular one, but so was the luxury of a long shower. "My favorite way to pamper myself after working in the garden is to take a rain-shower, apply a fragrant moisturizing lotion, and take a 20-minute power nap. I rise refreshed and rejuvenated!" said Mavis B. of Silver Spring, MD.

"My favorite way to pamper myself after a hard day out in the garden is to first take a shower (cause you gotta get that initial layer of dirt off!)," said Sarah U. of Berwyn Heights, MD, "Then, once I'm dry, I massage my feet with a cooling peppermint exfoliating scrub. I let the peppermint tingle for a few minutes then I wash and dry my feet and finish up by massaging a shea butter lotion into my feet. All the attention to my tired feet makes them feel and smell great!

Caroline Turner of Garrett Park, MD, cuts right to the reward: "After a hard day's work in the garden? A icy gin and tonic of course while admiring the progress I've made!"

Monique S. of Chevy Chase, MD replied on her entry:
"1. long shower
2. put on pj's
3. drink cool glass of lemonade
4. put my feet up and watch a gardening or home decorating show (I'm usually too hot at this point to sit outside and admire my work)."

Finally, our winner, Alexandria L. of University Park, MD, chosen at random, does a little of all of the above: "Favorite pampering after hard gardening: a refreshing shower, then blend a yogurt-fruit smoothie and lay around on the couch in the A/C reading The Washington Post Style section."

So how do YOU unwind and pamper yourself after a tough gardening session?