This week on the Senate Democrats’ “Behind the Politics” podcast, Sen. Kerry Donovan reminds us that the first state Public Lands Day in the nation is May 20 in Colorado.

And she shared gardening advice, or maybe it was advice about how to pass a Democratic bill in a Senate with a Republican majority.

“It takes a lot of work to get stuff to grow in the ground,” the senator and rancher from Vail told caucus staffers Jill Mullen and David Pourshoushtari. “So if you’re going to grow something give it love and it’ll grow.”

That’s what happened last year when Donovan passed improbable legislation with the help of Conservation Colorado to pass the sate Public Lands Day, a partisan issue in the West.

Donovan urged folks to look around their communities for events on May 20. She said many Colorado breweries will be serving up public lands themed beers that day.

“Lots of stuff is going to pop up all over the state, so hopefully you can find something in your neighborhood to either just go out and enjoy public lands or be struck with the volunteer spirit and do something for public lands,” she said to the podcast listeners. “And then go find your local brewery and go have a beer that night to celebrate.”

But about that garden, Donovan maintains her family’s isolated high country ranch pretty much by herself, tending chickens, mules, horses, cattle and her sidekick pup named Gary.

Gary is a Capitol celebrity who can mooch food like a pro and move on to the next victim, I can tell you from experience. Lately, the cute yellow dog of unspecified lineage has mastered the Capitol elevator and knows there are potential donors in the basement cafeteria.

You can’t say no to his sad eyes.

On the ranch, Donovan grows a big garden. And Pourshoushtari asked for some tips.

“Be realistic,” Donovan replied, pointing out that tomatoes aren’t going to make it in the mountains.

“Learn to love radishes,” she said, “because they’ll grow anywhere.”

Again, I think she’s talking about passing bills in the minority.