Blog Post
What Works and What Doesn't
In order to be more
specific, the above wisdom is going to be applied to one facet of my life, my
yard. Most of us can relate to that.
Our yard is very small,
which is how we like it, so instead of grass the front is laid out with some
gravel paths that separate the flowers that I plant every spring – or that
decide to return of their own accord – and which has two bushes bordering one side
whose name I keep forgetting.
You can see I’m not a
gifted horticulturalist. But I do love flowers. After a lifestyle of frequent
moves, living in this house for nine years has given me the opportunity to
plant them on a regular basis, to see what works and what doesn’t.
My conclusion?
Experimenting with different flowers has a definite correlation to life in
general. Flowers like anything else requires some nurturing to thrive. In my
flower growing (and my own life) I’m inclined to keep things simple but within
that parameter to be diligent. One does have to weed, etc.
There were high hopes for
the gladioli bulbs, which I was very successful cultivating many years ago and
love. Most of them didn’t make it, only one survived. But that one blood red and
gorgeous gladioli comes back every single year to stand sentimental over the
profusion of marigolds that surround it.
Oh yes, the marigolds.
They are supposed to be an annual…. Ha! They are cheerful, pretty, and sturdy,
and they love my soil so much they would completely overwhelm every other
flower in the my beds. And they come back every single year stronger than ever.
It breaks my heart to have to thin them out, but it has to be so. When
neighbors and friends take some they never seem to like their yards as much as
they do mine.
For years the petunias
thrived, this year not so much. The impatiens put in the shady spot only worked
for two years; now pansies do better. I’m encouraged by
the results of trying
daisies and zinnias. Lilies only bloom
for a short time but they are faithful. One rose bush has been a huge success,
another we finally gave up on and replaced. I didn’t really care for the
dianthus.
I have a dianthus I brought from Austin. It was one of the few things the rabbits didn't eat, so there will be more as it seeded naturally. I go with what works. Mom gave me irises so I have those to look forward to next year. I just planted fall zinnias. They sprouted right away and might do well. I definitely need more color in my yard. For ease of care, I have some sage and the Johnny jumpups I brought from Austin made it in the back yard. For ease of care and green, I have sedum my lovely neighbor gave me before I left. There's some wildflowers doing well too and I'm going to plant penstemon and Indian paintbrush next spring.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of lessons to be learned from your garden, Maria. Find plants that will survive predators (glad you happen to like dianthus), learn what works in your personal garden - life. Put variety and color in, don't go with things so complicated they wear you out or become frustrating.... enjoy the growth that comes without you having to plant at all...
DeleteYes ma'am, plenty of lessons to apply to life in your garden.
Gardens are full of lessons that apply to life! My husband, a third-generation nurseryman, has always said he could never doubt the existence of God after growing plants.
ReplyDeleteLearning what works, and learning to go with what works, is a useful lesson. I love miniature gardenias. George hates them, because they're temperamental and prone to white fly. They never grow well for him. They grow beautifully for me . . . most of the time. But, if they don't like a spot, they don't like that spot and they're not going to grow there no matter how many times you replant. I have learned to accept their decision. If they don't thrive where I picked, I move them somewhere else or give them to a neighbor.
I love zinnias, though I don't have any here. Yet. I do have something in bloom all the time, from camellias and pieris japonica in the winter to chrysanthemums and Michaelmas daisies in the fall. Actually, this year chrysanthemums and the Michaelmas daisies started blooming in the summer time, but they are budded up again for fall. Last year, my miniature roses had snow on them because they were still in full bloom in late November.
Your garden sounds beautiful, and I agree with your husband's conclusion. Gardens and flowers bring out the different tempraments in each of US.
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