In my former life as a responsibility-shirking 20-something I mercilessly teased my older friends for doing boring things like getting mortgages, having children and gardening. Of course a few years later I had to eat my words as I acquired my own mortgage, garden and baby. That baby started walking, then running, then having loud opinions about things. For the first time in my life it seemed easier (and less publicly embarrassing) to make my own fun at home. I swallowed my pride, apologised to my friends (sorry) and threw a bunch of seedlings into my barren backyard, hoping for the best. Initially my victim tally was high. The plants…