What gets you excited about gardening?

18 years ago

Gardening is a great activity- but there are so many different facets... planning, purchase, buying, dreaming, maintaining, picking vegetables, enjoying the blooms.... I can go on and on. Which is your favorite? What keeps you going? Trials and defeats? What keeps you energized and motivated?

Ever since I was a kid playing with blocks & slot cars, I loved the creative process of building and designing. I would play for hours creating my town, village, transport systems and so on. Stories about the people that lived there. Imagination is just never ending.

Now I have evolved to gardening. I have a very naked somewhat large empty lot. It cries out for trees and shurbs, flowers and birds, the sound of trickleing (sp?) water. In my mind it is full and beautiful. In actuality, it is nearly empty dirt and questionable lawn. I carefully consider the shape of the beds with the interaction of the yard. How will I use this? What will I see from the deck or patio? What are my destinations? What path material will you walk on? Then.. as my head is filled with sugarplums,... I check the wallet and time, and come back to earth. (sigh...) I have learned to work with what I have and what I can "acquire". My neighbor just dumped 4 wheel barrows of top soil removed for his new patio. My folks bring me back interesting rock from their snowbird trips. Iris and hosta from moms house. My new project has been starting seeds in milk jug terrariums (peas are awsome! they just wont disappoint you.) I love to watch things grow. I enjoy the vegetables from the garden and have vowed once again to find homes for all of them. One day,.. one day... I will have it all!!! (delirious laugh)

What gets you going?

--Candace

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Comments (3)

irish_rose_grower
18 years ago
HI Candace. I really enjoyed reading your story. I love trying new plants to see what I really love to watch in bloom. It seems each few months I'm into a new type of plant. Last year I tried tropicals (banannas, gingers,mandevilla). Then it was cottage garden flowers - I'm waiting for my order of Delphiniums from a very good mail order site that I can't think of the name of, now I'm into iris, daffodils, and fragrant flowers. I ordered a bunch of seeds from The Fragrant Path and want fragrant flowers all over my yard. I'm going to plant a bunch near my patio so when we sit to have coffee after dinner I can smell the beauties. I also love any type of historic or heirloom flower that is given to me by a friend. They have a special place in my garden, and of course the iris that were my 1st I had which came from my grandfather's garden. I enjoy every aspect of gardening from planning to buying to planting to watching them grow. Your going to have a great time filling your yard in. Keep us updated on your progress. What type of shrubs and trees will you be planting? I love lilac bushes and if I was starting from scratch I would plant a small grove of lilac bushes.

Maureen
better2boutside
Original Author
18 years ago
Gee wiz... it is real quiet around here. Everyone must be out in the yard.

I just bought a Stewartia Pseudocamilla from Dee's. It has white camilla type flowers and exfolliating bark. Gets to be about 25-30' tall. I already have a beauty bush, butterfly bush (yellow & lt purple),wine & roses weglia & (2) small rohodendrens (sp?). I have had a hard time figuring out which trees/shrubs to buy/plant and where. I am out of my element here and will just wing it. I am planning on getting an Am. Pink Dogwood, autum maple for fall color, Magnolia butterflies, redbud and maybe a bloodgood maple. The yard is quite large. I tried the Landscape design board to get some help, but no bites on the plant recommendations.

DH is going to help me out with building the beds up this summer. I need a few yards of soil and alot of rocks. We are also contemplating putting up a stockade fence to keep the neighbors hedges at bay.

I was considering Lilac for the nice smell, but havent developed my plan that far yet. I am going to Martin Vinette on Saturday with a friend. Maybe she will have some feed back for me.

My be we can post some picts of our yards and or details we are happy with. What color is your 1st iris? I have lt purple ones from my mothers house, also Tiger lillies & hostas.

--Candace
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irish_rose_grower
18 years ago
Hi Candace. Yes, it is quiet. I guess come spring/summer it gets quieter. Maybe on rainy days it will get busier?

Sounds like you have a lot of beautiful trees and shrubs your putting in your yard. I don't have any Wiegela but have read about them, they are supposed to be really pretty. I'm doing the same thing with my backyard, I just wing it. I don't have the design knack that some people have. Martin Viette is a great nursery, I also like the Rose Farm that's nearby. They have gorgeous roses and flowers and everything. My 1st iris from my Grandfather's yard is a maroonish color -- very beautiful. When it blooms I'll post a picture here. Do you have any pics of your yard you can show us?

Have a great day Candace, are you coming to Bayard Cutting with us?

Maureen