The Good
I think the current state of my garden can easily be sorted into one of the above three categories. Let's start with the good news. I found two great pots to add to my porch: one at Dutch Growers and one from Carla Lorence Ceramics at the Cathedral Village Arts Fest. I purchased flowers for them last week and both are still living.
These three beauties are thriving. The purple iris was a donation from my mom and last year it didn't bloom. I'm happy to report that this year it has several buds. It's a little flimsy though but that might be toddler related. The peony is also blooming and looking bright. In the spirit of honesty, it's a new addition and was already about to pop, but I'm hopeful it will remain.
The big news of the day is the bleeding heart on the end. My neighbour gave it to me last year because it wasn't enjoying its home in his backyard. Unfortunately, it was August and I had already quit watering my garden. It appeared to be beyond saving and I was sure it was long gone. But I noticed unfamiliar little sprouts shooting up this spring so I googled what bleeding heart shoots look like and confirmed it was back in business! It didn't bloom this year but I read it can take a couple of seasons for it to establish itself. The Bad
These are looking great, right? So what's the bad news? The celosia are all replacements and the marigolds aren't producing new buds. Boo. I think, actually I know, I selected flowers based on my likes versus choosing ones suitable for the location. Rookie move. I think I need to set them out to sunnier pastures and pick new ones that like shady times.
The Ugly
Brace yourself...
Oh boy. Half of my impatiens have died. I replaced one but I'm coming to terms with another poor selection. This box used to be very shady but our neighbours chopped down a large tree in their yard so now it gets a full morning of sun. Impatiens don't like that much sun so I'm basically cooking them. These will also need to pack up so beach lovers can move in to take their place.
It's a bit early in the year to have so many dead plants so I feel compelled to call a mulligan and start over. Anyone have any gardening tips for me? I'd love to hear them!
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We have been experiencing some seriously gorgeous weather for May. My daughter loves being outside, so we have been taking advantage by dining al fresco and playing in the dirt everyday. I had purchased some bulbs from Costco a couple of months ago and was planning to wait until the recommended post-May-long-weekend to plant, but I was impatient. So we dug some holes, following the handy diagram on the bag, to create what we hope will be a lovely display this summer.
When the snow first melts, our garden looks like a barren wasteland. But as the weather warms and the ground thaws, tiny tufts of green begin to emerge and remind me of all the forgotten plants I buried the year before. Some were cast offs from my mom and some were gifts from my husband, but each year they return bigger than the year before. They give me something to look forward to between never-ending winter and summer.
We also popped by Dutch Growers and picked out our annuals for our window box and lone pot. We actually had to go twice because the first time I forgot my wallet. This will come as no surprise to my family and especially to my daughter who, when pretending to shop at home, regularly returns to the room exclaiming she forgot hers as well. Take a look at what we selected on our second attempt:
We went impatiens in the window box this year. I have not had success the two years before with planting in here so I'm hoping these are the winners. These pictures were also taken pre-toddler hands. The poor celosias are already missing a few heads and one has been replanted twice. It will definitely be a toss up on whether her impulsiveness gets them before I quit watering them mid-season.
It's starting to look a lot like summer around here. And we mustn't be far off because I heard the familiar jingle of the Dickie-Dee this week. This is absolutely my favourite time of year!
I have always loved the idea of gardening. When we bought our house, I was so excited to graduate from a few pots on a patio to a full-blown garden bed. Actually, two garden beds and a window box. We have been slowly adding plants to our collection as to not overwhelm my hardly-green thumbs. You see, I am notorious for emerging from winter ready to get my hands dirty, only to lose interest a few months later and leave what's left to fend for itself. I recall a friend buying me a lucky bamboo as a house warming gift. I warned him of my inability to successfully care for plants but he insisted that he chose this particular species because they were difficult to kill. He also added that if the thing died, I probably shouldn't have children. The bamboo did indeed eventually pass away and I also went on to have a baby. I am happy to report that there is no direct correlation between my ability to care for plants and babies.
Despite all of this, every year when I see those little spikes of green emerging from the ground, I am filled with excitement for a new planting season. I love visiting my favourite nursery and buying too many annuals for the pots we own. I also love the tradition my husband has started of buying me lilies for mother's day so I can add them to my beds. My mother-in-law has a garden straight out of a magazine that I imagine mine will miraculously become one day (#gardengoals).
Tending to my blooms after Rowyn was born was actually calming for me. I would step outside for a few minutes of quiet and fresh air each night and refocus my mind. Now Rowyn loves spending that time outside with me and I swoon at the prospect of this being something we do together. However, this year will be a true test to the strength of my flowers. Can they survive my neglect and an overzealous toddler trampling them? Only time will tell. |