I 'skipped school' on Friday - needing to recharge my 'batteries' from the 30 day post-holiday work marathon.
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Having fun... (woohoo!)
(from the creative minds at Microsoft Clip art!) |
After finally getting my Garden Blogosphere 'mojo' back, I had been thinking about 2012 gardening. I pulled out my large stack of past issues of gardening magazines, especially
Fine Gardening and
Garden Gate. ... What was I missing? What was going to get me to 'the next level' of garden nirvana? What makes me want to be a 'grown up' gardener? ... BIGGER gardens and MORE plants!! ...
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| Autumn 2011 - The 'Cottage' Garden |
Now, don't get me wrong. I love the progress I've made so far, but it feels 'slow'. Looking through a photo montage of 2011, the Spring photos in particular looked "rough" - to say the least. Bushes were small, dandelions were prolific and perennials were few and far between. As I looked month-over-month, there was hope. I
had checked off quite a few 'wish list' plants off the list:
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| Amsonia Hubrichtii (Blue Star) |
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| "May Breeze" Phlox divaricata |
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| "New Wave" Lillium |
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| "Petite Snow" Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii "Monite") |
There was a little bit of a prevailing "white" bloom theme going on, but the trim of the house is white - and I like how the color reverberates around the gardens. Then again, there was the Bugbane ('Actaea Ramosa "Brunette"), the Bee Balm ("Marshall's Delight" Monarda) and the "Arabian Nights" Dahlia. Things weren't totally monotonous.
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"Arabian Nights" Dahlia
(Bulbs are snugged up in the dry garage - waiting for 2012) |
Perhaps, in the cold of January, my "eyes could be bigger than my garden 'might'" - but I really want
more garden,
more sanctuary and
more visual privacy. My biggest recommendation to anyone that is starting from scratch -- you can
never plant bushes and trees soon enough! (and they cannot grow fast enough) There is also no such thing as 'too many' plants - always, always, always buy a minimum of (3) of the same plants - more, if you can (in odd numbers of course, if you are going to co-locate them).
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One of this year's projects - expand the front garden
(Sketches are in 'development'...) |
First priority is to 'fill' the many large voids in the existing gardens with more perennials. As I surf your garden blogs, I admire the variety and the 'bounty' within your gardens. That is what I aspire to - mature, bountiful gardens with texture and variety. So - back to the drawing board, my handy-dandy garden journal (II) and visiting my garden blog friends.
(One happy note, looking back over previous years of photos - early March is when things start popping out of the ground. And THAT is not so far away!)
Pacem in paradiso...
© All content & photography by Shyrlene Foster at The Bunnies Buffet (
unless noted)
Skipping school and looking through garden magazines for inspiration sounds wonderful. I think we all would love to keep expanding. And yes, trees and shrubs are so important - but they do grow fast, as you say. Soon you will have a lush, full, colorful garden.
ReplyDeleteHolley - I highly recommend a day like last Friday! I had an adrenaline buzz the entire weekend; my mind kept envisioning what the gardens would look like - tied together and full of plants! I love your words! "lush", "full" "colorful" :D
DeleteIt is a great time to think, peruse and plan. You can see the voids easily and since planting is out, you get time to patiently plan out the spots to fill. I always stake the areas so I know where to find them when the spring foliage starts bursting through the soil.
ReplyDeleteDonna, I love your idea about staking the perennials for Spring ID. As I was looking through my pictures, I realized I'm pushing the envelope on my memory! Especially with some of the new plants - will they come up (I hope, I hope) and where exactly did I plant them? (There is particular anxiety around the Amsonias.)
DeleteYay for skipping school, I'd be jumping on the bed too!! I just wanted to also let you know that I love your blog and have awarded you with the Versatile Blogger Award over at Polka Dot Galoshes!! Thanks for the great read, I sure do enjoy your posts! And am super excited you have your mojo back!! Cheers Julia xx
ReplyDeleteJulia - Thanks so much for the "Versatile Blogger Award"! I will swing on by shortly! (P.S. On "day 4", I'm still enjoying that 'garden adrenaline'!)
DeleteHappy day! The opportunity for skipping school for mental health is the best thing for the soul. Not to worry about the gardens/gardening... it is never really done, just onto another project.
ReplyDeleteTufa Girl, it was a happy day indeed!! It looked like 'anarchy' in my family room - with magazines, garden journals, neon post-its and pens everywhere the eye could see. And then there were the 'Scooby Snacks' to keep my energy up; one should never doubt the holistic advantages of Hersey Kisses.
DeleteIs it normal to swing between euphoric enthusiasm and paralyzing fear, when thinking about the enormity of making gardens bigger and anticipating a plant spending spree? ("day at a time, day at a time, day at a time"...breath!)
This is the time when I plan for spring as well, however with these warm winter temps spring may be here sooner. I was hoping for a nice snow covered winter day, but perhaps this winter will be different. Thank you, Mother Nature, for whatever you bring...
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if the 'warmer than average' temperatures have kicked off my garden mojo earlier than usual? It has been the best 'planning' season I think I ever have had - and I'm loving it! I'm poised and ready to have a truck load of compost dumped in the driveway and get started!!
DeleteIt does seem like spring is here already. I was making chicken soup today and was able to use parsley from my own Chicagoland garden. And as I looked unsuccessfully for winter aconite blooms, I did find a few periwinkle blooming.
ReplyDeleteCarol - thanks for your visit! You really have me inspired with your comment about herbs. I recently decided that I want to start a herb garden this year - first on the list cilantro. (I also took a little walk-about last weekend, and was excited to find signs of life, including a few weeds!)
DeleteI love your stories!
ReplyDeleteLula - you made my day! Thanks so much. (My friends tell me that I 'blog' the way I 'speak'.) :)
DeleteDon't just expand your front garden - get rid of the lawn! We did this many years ago and have never regretted it. A front lawn is useless anyway, and gardens are so much more interesting both to look at and to look after. Just think of the possibilities of this much space... (Unless you really love your lawn, in which case, please keep it and ignore me)
ReplyDeleteLyn - I love the way you think! I'm not sure if our village ordinances would allow me to go 'full native', but you can bet your bottom dollar - I'm going to come as close a possible. (I do like a bit of 'lawn', for negative space - but after having more clover than Kentucky Blue Grass for the last 4 years I'm much more flexible.)
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