One thing I have been working hard on is our yard and my various little flower beds. It's something I enjoy so much and if I was able to devote even a tenth of the energy I spend just thinking about gardening to the actual practice of doing it, I'd probably have a rose named after me by now. I love that it's something I can work on in bits and pieces and not feel like I'm working towards completion exactly. I can put Eli in his porch swing and pull weeds for 5 minutes and feel really good. **Look carefully at the middle photo. This smidgen of work doesn't leave me with a table full of half-finished projects. There's not a lot of planning or cleaning up to do afterwards. It's perfect. And I realize it's something I do almost completely for my own enjoyment. While it would be nice to receive a few compliments on my yard, it occurred to me that I hardly ever do, but the fact that this just now occurred to me must be a good sign. In one way.
A little history of our yard. (Hold on to your hats--what excitement!!) We bought our house in the fall of 2001 and the following spring/early summer, we discovered a leaky exterior water pipe. This led to some grueling work for Matt: digging in the hot sun. Digging maybe 5 feet down to reach the pipe in question. And digging from the house to the middle of the yard, straight across and under the central steps, creating a path (or trench) of mud and destruction. It wasn't a spectacular yard to begin with, just grass, a border of liriope, and some redtips. I was holding my breath for a few flowering surprises that first spring, but was left with just a single pincushion flower in the back (which returned two weeks ago, with a partner, for the first time since 2002!). Our front yard is on the small side so since about a fourth of it was now dug up and a good third of the grass was gone, we decided to go ahead and essentially start over. With the help of my parents, we got rid of all the grass, planted two red maples, and an assortment of shrubs and flowers. I'd give just about anything to go back in time and make some different choices as to plant type or placement. (i.e WHY 2 maples and not a crabapple or a dogwood?) But I'm very happy that our work has paid off and since I've added to it every spring and fall, we now have a happy assortment of plants. Here are the highlights:
Shrub that makes my nose the happiest: Tea Olive (Osmanthus fragrans). I grew up with this smell greeting me outside our carport door. I LOVE this smell. Oddly, Matt can't smell it at all!
Most surprising: I had no idea the Butterfly Bush would grow so tall, so fast. It takes up a large chunk of the front corner and I wish I could be Mary Poppins and just point my finger and magically move it somewhere else (in addition, my daughter would be very pleased with this coveted trait).
Most dear: My daylilies don't do a lot of blooming, but they have a good story to tell. They were transplanted from my parents yard, straight from the pet cemetery. I like to think that I have a bit of Patches, Wags, Daisy, Allie, Hobo, Hobo II, Hobo III, Big Eyes, and many goldfish in my patch of green daylily leaves.
Thriving: Several guaras. They're taller than me and add so much life to the front yard this year.
Brand New: The Good Ol' Summertime rosebush given to me by three sweet friends, in memory of my grandmother. It produced its first blossom last week!
Lately Added: Tigerlily bulbs straight from the yard of a 91 year old watchmaker from Macon. (And Anna's "best friend.") Also added: creeping phlox, thyme, blue plumbago, more salvia.
Most Changed: What were once blue hydrangeas turned pink shortly after we learned our first child was to be a girl.
Questionable: The beautiful rosebush given to me by a dear family a few birthdays ago. It's leaves often get nibbled at.
Strangely commemorative: The Cecil Breuner climbing rose which happened to get planted the day of my really bad car accident last May, maybe the scariest day of my life.
Goners: Two oakleaf hydrangeas, one broadleaf hydrangea, one pee-wee hydrangea, one camelia, and countless perennials. (I didn't do enough research about how these would hold up in our hot afternoon sun).
I could go on but since I've put my few readers to sleep, I will stop. Thank you for indulging me.
1 comment:
I hope that someone gets the bright idea to give you some plants for your birthday! Your yard sounds like it's coming along beautifully. By the way, I recall commenting on your pretty yard but it has been a while (sigh). If I were close I would bring you some transplants from my yard... maybe I will send you some seeds in the mail instead. Happy Birthday Erica!
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