DH does like taking garden photos. I don't - not patient enough to put other garden chores aside for that.

So many super-great responses...!

Knowing that not everyone *can* be inspired to be interested, it doesn't hurt to ask or try to gauge the potential. ...if you really are willing to share your space, as said. :+) If not, having one of those, "I'm going to garden while you enjoy that other thing you like" discussions sounds like a great idea, if not already in practice in the relationship. Then you each have something to tell the other about later, too. (Both are supposed to pretend with equally feigned sincerity that this info is fascinating, exciting. LOL!)

Asking about preferences, like "should *we* (subtle inclusion psychology) do blue or yellow flowers next to the garage this year?" "Would you enjoy this tree or that tree more?" "What would you like to see out there when you look through the window?" After helping to make a few of these decisions, a sense of pride & ownership should develop, should the seed of such potential exist in the spouse.

Most people are fascinated by butterflies. If you get some host plants enjoyed by the butterflies in your area (host plants are those that the caterpillars eat,) and nectar plants (which provide nectar to adults that we recognize as butterflies,) you can get quite a few butterflies fluttering through. (And if so, please don't put chemical treatments on these plants.)

Propagation. If there's a latent plant-o-phile in someone, watching roots and new growth develop on/from a cutting should wake that up.

So true, Tiffany. I do try to respect my spouse's dislike of pink flowers. He thinks it's great when I can propagate plants from a cutting. So I recently started a plumeria from a cutting and had it sitting beside the walkway out to his shop. Well, despite its name "Orange Blossom Special" the bloom opened a shocking pink! He came in with the comment "What's that pink thing out by the shop?".

So, even if they're not inclined to garden, they do notice what is growing out there. (the pink flowers reside in the side garden where he rarely goes) He likes the butterflies and wildlife, too.

I'm afraid I was the person who confused the plumeria world with the name 'Orange Blossom Special'. In my defense it was originally accompanied by a picture of the bloom. I now know this to be 'Cancun Pink'. It is a profuse bloomer with a great fragrance.

No worries, Hetty, I love it and just need to find another spot to park it so DH doesn't have to see it every time he goes out to the shop. Even though the initial bloom color is amazingly pink as your picture shows, it does fade beautifully to almost white with an orange center. The fragrance is superb, which is what I was after in the first place.

Great thread!

"Be careful what you wish for! Once your spouse gets interested, won't HE become a huge pain in the butt?"

I liked the idea that, if A wants B to be interested in C, A had better figure out what B DOES like, and come up with some argument for why that translates into "C".

For example:

- He likes snap peas? Get him to grow those. Or get him to build build a pea trellis so he's "invested" in them.

- Likes being crazy-neat? Turn him on to Square Foot OCD. (Maybe later you can get him addicted to weeding or picking aphids off, one-by-one.)

- Likes gadgets? Buy or rent him a tiller and get him to build raised beds. Or bring home a few pieces of irrigation knick-knacks and ask "where does this piece go?"...

- A builder? Ask for a hoop tunnel ... cold frames ... greenhouses ... no, just send him to my house!

- Would-be scientist? Cuttings were a great idea! Hybridization. Indoor seed starting.

My first thought when I saw the thread was:

"How to inspire your spouse?" !?! That's easy! Do your gardening in tight shorts and bend over a lot ... he'll find things to interest him in the garden ..."

Driving home from the store I was thinking about this thread as I drove by a dancing school. What does this have to do with a gardening question?

Let's switch this up and say that one spouse loves to dance...not get down and funky at the club dancing, but tap, ballet, ballroom - fancy stuff.
That spouse goes onto a dancing forum and asks "How do I get my spouse interested in dance?" Go ahead; take a moment.
It doesn't matter if you are male or female; can you picture yourself in top hat, fishnets and tap shoes looking like Liza Minnelli. Or in a tutu leaping on a stage? A ball gown dancing backward in high heels like Ginger "Rogers?

Not every interest can be shared by every spouse. Sometimes we just have to smile and nod and let the other person do their own thing.