Garden or Life?

For the past couple of years I have landed on a word or two to help me set some goals for, oh, I don’t know, lets call it carrying on.  Its been joy, its been intention, its been deliberate.  As I watched some birds out the window this morning and bemoaned the fact that the ground is probably too wet to do more planting, I realized I didn’t have a word for 2020.

    

I am sure we all agree that there are a few words fitting for 2020 and not all of them are G rated.  Not all of the words I can think of would project an attitude of positivity.  The thing is, as I look out the window and bemoan…some would call it wallow…I work at my attitude.  It is too wet to plant, but, when the sun comes out a little it will be a great time to weed, for the ground will be soft and the colors will be bright. I will be able to easily identify the weed. I have a kneeling pad, I have gloves and a garbage can.  I have brand new snips and pruners, and I have a trowel.  I am equipped.

Gardening and landscaping take planning, for sure. Audrey Hepburn once said “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow”.  It takes belief and faith and it takes time. But let’s face it, it also takes action.  Gardening includes tasks, like weeding, because gardens don’t just happen, although I have tried that approach, too, when I just didn’t have the time or inclination.  Lots of metaphors there, isn’t there?

I have the faith and belief, I have equipment and I have time, oh, and I have weeds.  My word for 2020 ~ Action.  Let me take action.

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Ode to Joy

Started stocking up on some plants this week (I had ordered a few by mail only the second time or so I have done that) and my neighbor-niece picked up a few for me while she was out on errands.  I already almost killed those by leaving them out on the step in an “ooops, I forgot the plants” moment when the temps dropped down to near freezing. They may recover IF it warms up soon. I think May 10 is our safe to plant date for 2020.

I told you about the extension of my trail, once known as trail to nowhere and now referred to, occasionally and loosely, as the trail with purpose. I LOVE this addition to our landscape and although it was a lot of work, and still work needed, it is becoming a favorite spot. Except for the poison ivy or poison oak I picked up while ripping out myrtle, hiding in the growth to do its dastardly deed on my arms and ankles.  Now that I know it is there, I look for it and it is discreet, for sure, but its there. Poison Ivy seems to be strong this year as I have seen several people post about it. Devil weed.

This year has turned in to a year of some serious landscape planning. It is nice to have the niece next door as she also is a landscape planner. We talk flowers, shrubs and trees a LOT. We enjoy it and well, she also picked up some poison ivy working in HER beds. So, we share that as well.

The daffodil game has been strong and long this year; the colder temps seem to be keeping them on a nice rotation without everyone blooming at once. There’s a lot to divide and move later to keep this look going.

 

Even with everything that is going on, spring is such a great time of year. Even on days when it is a bit gloomy or cold I walk out onto the porch and take it all in, just sort of survey it. We have a lot of projects, sure, but also a lot of joy. Who doesn’t need a bit of joy?

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The beginning.

Almost every year we traveled to a tropical location with business associates of my husband.  We were lucky to go to some gorgeous resorts, beautiful locations as an incentive he earned while working along side some great salesmen and their customers.  To have these trips come to an end is the negative of retirement.

   

This year’s trip was to Costa Rica.  Another location I didn’t think I would get to see and the countryside did not disappoint.  We laid pretty low all week as there is a fair amount of “business” that is conducted during these trips although it is all about building relationships more than conducting business.  But, we stepped back and out of the role and just relaxed.  Following our January trip to Key West, I’d say hubs has had a great introduction in to retirement! The people of Costa Rica were sweet and seemingly happy people.  I would not turn down an opportunity to go again.

Since we have returned, spring is making a frustratingly slow entrance.  More snow, frigid cold.  I was hoping we would be a little further in to it by now, to be honest.  We all may remember how antsy I get for getting out in the mud and mire to start my landscaping projects and this year is no exception.  I’m anxious to get started.  My big project this year is going to be landscape lighting along with some foundation planting, so I have begun to research a little, talk style and placement…a little sketching.  This is what I love about early spring; the getting ready.

As for the immediate future, I should take the Christmas arrangement out of the big black pots on the front porch and begin to ready it for a spring transition, as I know it will happen even if slow to start.  I have white lights on a tree up in the woods and over the last week or so the strands have started to burn out so the arrangement of lights is not looking great.  I guess, if it warms up above 20, I’ll see if I can correct that situation. And, the moon garden needs some serious attention. 

 

Oh, and I’ve convinced hubs it would be nice to get a quick spring trip in, so we may be traveling to a warmer location for a few days next month.  I mean, why not?

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Tiny squirrels, tiny patience.

Started accumulating a few plants to fill up the many, many pots.  I have worked on the “dry creek bed” at the downspout area and fought the urge, fought it again, still fighting, to put something in the ground.  I have started “hardening” the few plants I have by setting them outside and then bringing them back in at night.  We have a few more days of cold nights…below 40…ahead but I think the freeze is over.  Possibly.  There’s a chance that Wednesday will get below 32.  Come on.  My patience is wearing thin.  

For the last couple of years we have had a black squirrel running around the property.  I have only seen one, at least I think its just one.  However, this morning I noticed a little bitty black squirrel, a baby, chasing around with other tiny squirrels.  Now, my old neighbor told me when we first spotted the lone black squirrel a couple years ago that they are not a separate type of squirrel but more of a rare coloring of your typical squirrel.  So, it’s not like I have new varieties of squirrels popping up, just regular old squirrels that have a degree of “melanism”.  Here’s some info, if you would care to learn more: https://animalsake.com/facts-about-black-squirrels

At any rate, the tiny little squirrels chasing around and around the wood chip pile and up and down trees this morning are very entertaining.  As soon as they start uprooting my plantings I will be less enamored, I’m sure. 


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Getting out in it.

I started on a bit of the landscaping needs around the house this week.  It is still cold, rainy (at least today) and windy, but gosh I needed to get out there.  For a couple different reasons, really.  One, it is driving me crazy to see all this dirt and two, my doctor advises more activity.  Nothing like moving a couple wheelbarrow loads of wood chips to be active.  Since its too early to bring in plants and flowers, I am concentrating on woodchips, and feeding azaleas. 

As you may remember, my pile of wood chips is from two summers ago, when we were first starting to plan the remodeling.  I asked the guys who were cutting down the trees if they could leave a little.  They said either they leave the whole load or none.  So, I had them dump the load from that last day.  Which, thankfully, was not ALL the wood chips from the job.  The wood chips have been used for two seasons, the huge pile is now pretty compacted and tough to shovel. Long live the pitchfork!  Why didn’t anyone tell me to use a pitchfork last year? The year before?  I moved woodchips to a couple places yesterday and although my back is paying for it today, the pitchfork was the right tool for the job. I will be out there moving woodchips later this week, if it stops raining.  I may even finish the walking trail.

It has remained cold where I am and the flowers are slow, but I remind myself it is only March.  I cleared some landscape areas I maybe should have left alone for a little while longer but, golly, I am anxious to see some color, some blooms.  I am struggling with furniture for the front door area…can’t decide what to put out there.  Everything I thought would work seems wrong.  I lost out on purchasing a chair a few weeks ago at the Habitat store that I think would have been just right.  But, not wishing to cry over spilled milk, I move on.  Remembering that chair has made all other chairs pale in comparison.  Yes, it’s that bad darn it!

I purchased two, tall, black, made from recycled materials, plastic pots for the porch at Target this week.  I am fond of these guys and can’t wait to load them up with some impatiens and coleus, sweet potato vine… be still my heart.  It means moving some other pots off the porch but goodness knows I have places for those, too. I remain determined in the moon garden and am keeping watch on the light patterns that hit that spot now, since a couple trees have fallen or been taken down.  I have been waiting on previous plantings to sprout so I can make a list of what might be staying and what will be replaced.  Last year I planted two bright, lime green hosta but I don't think they made it through the poor soil and rough winter.  We'll see, but those are two plants I expect to have to replace, among, of course, the white columbine, which I will probably abandon.  Love columbine but it just does not love me. Since I am revamping this area and beefing up the soil I plan on replacing a few plants, and introduce more pots of annuals.     

Coming up on Easter and usually daffodils adorn the table.  I am not sure that will happen this year but I did see the early snowdrops late last week, so I know the daffodils are coming! We will have family here, so much laughter and love will fill the house.  Weather forecasts indicate we will be inside…but, we’ll see.  We are hardy stock and are called to be outside.   

Oh, and just for fun, I came across this article and thought some of you might also enjoy...I hope to visit a couple of these spots soon!  http://www.midwestliving.com/travel/around-the-region/12-standout-midwest-garden-centers/




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