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One of my favorite Summer pastimes is gardening. It had been years since I ventured out into my garden at our old house. Mostly maintenance work since I quit smoking and being in the garden was my "trigger". My flower beds were mature and some of my plants grew to almost six feet tall. I had a small garden and my motto was, "If it doesn't bloom, I'll dig it out!" Pretty straight forward.
When I purchased this house, one of the most overwhelming tasks I knew I would have to undertake would be landscaping. If you have ever been to Lowe's, Home Depot or God forbid, your local nursery, you know that gardening is not inexpensive, and that shopping for plants takes on a whole new meaning when you are going through pot after pot looking for plants that have "babies" that can be divided in the fall and net you the largest bed. Getting a bang for your gardening buck takes work!
Before I could start planning my garden renovations I had to wait and see what was actually planted in my space. I knew that with two Koi ponds in the backyard and a stone wall this was no ordinary garden. This must have been a gardener's garden, at some point. With that in mind, I waited patiently for the garden to come alive.
The Winter Landscape looked bleak. Only the hardscape told me this garden would be magnificent.
It seemed to take forever but eventually Spring arrived and it brought Bearded Irises, flowering trees. Tons of Lily of the Valley but no tulips. Sigh.....
The Irises were beautiful but what I really wanted to know was what color the Daylilies would be.
Summer brought beds of Original Orange Day Lilies. Yes, that is their real name (Hemerocallis Fulva). I am thankful they are not pink. I am thankful they are plentiful and I am thankful that unlike the Hostas, they bloom big and bright, and I will not feel the need to dig them up. LOL. Yes, I have been digging up plants... lots and lots of them. I have started replacing plants I don't care for with plants that remind me of home, my old home, my first home. A backbreaking job for sure, but one that has already started to show promise.
I found Catmint, Salvia and Jacob's Ladder at Lowes. My first thought was "Oh, they're so small!" but alas, I know they will soon grow to rival the ones I left behind... and they have taken off running. I feel hopeful that my garden will soon reflect not what someone else left behind, but the love and care that I put into it. One plant at a time.
Hope your garden is blooming and calling to you. Have fun!!!
Hope your garden is blooming and calling to you. Have fun!!!
6 comments:
It sure makes a difference between winter and summer, beautiful gardens and areas for you to work in.
Debbie
My garden is much smaller and I have to deal with extreme heat--but I plan one plant at a time to see how well they do--it's the most shaded area in my front yard, but I have daylilies, roses, hydrangas, foxtail ferns and salvia as some of the plants and room for more a little at a time, Joni Giancola
Love you winter & full-on spring photos! How did your backyard/pool area come to life?
A garden is a living, breathing thing. It never stays the same year to year..things die, things grow.. If you want tulips you will be happier if you plant the plain old tulips..they will continue to bloom for years. The fancy ones, although really awesome usually only last a couple of years. But the old fashion ones last and multiply. I find that the ones I have bought from Home Depot have lasted the best for me. Also daffodils are a great plant..they have really nice ones and over the years I have been able to divide and spread them all over the yard. Enjoy your garden..it is one of my greatest loves, along with quilting and motorcycles. It is definitely a labor of love!
Hi Brenda
Your garden is coming along well now, and the house is lovely, so much charm, enjoy!
Very thouughtful blog
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