by Olivia Cunning
I love flower gardening. Each winter, I long for the first spring flowers to emerge from the ground and display their brave blooms. There was a time, not so long ago, that I would spend entire weekends planting, tending, weeding, mulching and watering all my pretty little flowers. This is what my garden looked like in the spring. These are photos I took of my garden flowers around five years ago.
It was so wonderful to see such gorgeous blooms after a long, harsh winter in The Plains.
This is the same garden in the summer. Lilies thrive in this climate, much to my delight.
Obviously, I love spring flowers and lilies. Some of my lilies grew shoulder-high and they smelled heavenly.
Due to my increasingly busy life and lack of commitment to weeding and fertilizing and watering, my flower garden slowly deteriorated. Each year there were more weeds and fewer flowers. I kept telling myself that next year I'd get my weed jungle under control. That next year I'd take the time to water plants and fertilize them. Maybe I'd even stop to smell the lilies once in a while. The white ones are especially aromatic.
It never happened. Instead of things slowing down, life continues to speed up. So last autumn when I had my driveway redone, I had them dig out my entire lily garden with their Bobcat. My garden which once gave me such joy is gone. All gone. Now instead of a weed patch with a few lilies making me feel guilty, I have patchy grass with a few weeds making me feel guilty. Eventually, I'll have lush grass. If I ever take the time to water and fertilize it.
Is plant neglect a crime?
Maybe someday life will slow down and I will return to gardening, but until then I'll have to be content with neglecting my houseplants. The neighbors don't have to look at those.
Happy Spring!
I love flower gardening. Each winter, I long for the first spring flowers to emerge from the ground and display their brave blooms. There was a time, not so long ago, that I would spend entire weekends planting, tending, weeding, mulching and watering all my pretty little flowers. This is what my garden looked like in the spring. These are photos I took of my garden flowers around five years ago.
It was so wonderful to see such gorgeous blooms after a long, harsh winter in The Plains.
This is the same garden in the summer. Lilies thrive in this climate, much to my delight.
Due to my increasingly busy life and lack of commitment to weeding and fertilizing and watering, my flower garden slowly deteriorated. Each year there were more weeds and fewer flowers. I kept telling myself that next year I'd get my weed jungle under control. That next year I'd take the time to water plants and fertilize them. Maybe I'd even stop to smell the lilies once in a while. The white ones are especially aromatic.
It never happened. Instead of things slowing down, life continues to speed up. So last autumn when I had my driveway redone, I had them dig out my entire lily garden with their Bobcat. My garden which once gave me such joy is gone. All gone. Now instead of a weed patch with a few lilies making me feel guilty, I have patchy grass with a few weeds making me feel guilty. Eventually, I'll have lush grass. If I ever take the time to water and fertilize it.
Is plant neglect a crime?
Maybe someday life will slow down and I will return to gardening, but until then I'll have to be content with neglecting my houseplants. The neighbors don't have to look at those.
Happy Spring!
I have the added problem of terrible droughts and watering restrictions during the summer. Trying to keep anything alive with 110 degree heat is awful. But the crepe mrytle bloom without any help from me, and so do the everblooming roses! :) Fertilizer? You're supposed to fertilize??? :)
ReplyDeleteHa, Terry! I've been fighting creeping myrtle for years. I think it's time I gave up and pretend like I wanted to grow in my rock garden.
ReplyDeleteI made the mistake of planting wildflower seeds in my garden. Some are these adorable purple daisies, but they're so tiny, you can barely see them. The plant itself is big and gangly and takes over. So I've been pulling them up forever! Maybe I should just leave them be. I think the same thing about dandelions. Aren't a field of yellow flowers...beautiful? :) Go with the flow!
ReplyDeleteYou're all a lot braver than me. I haven't planted flowers in 12 years. I love them, but I can't do it all. It comes down to do I plant flowers or feed the kids? Kids always win hands down, and with three teenagers, they're constantly hungry!
ReplyDeleteThose are so gorgeous! I have the same problem as Terry. We had a drought and water restrictions last year, but the restriction were finally lifted and I had some landscaping done. I am not a gardener by any measure, but I'm trying to keep it up.
ReplyDeleteI love looking at flowers and your pictures are fabulous. I don't do gardening. I don't even have plants in my house because I have long said I don't want anything or anyone to feed or water except my wonderful husbnad.
ReplyDeleteAmelia
Thank goodness Husband has a green thumb and the ability to remember to water plants. He could make silk flowers reproduce and I have trouble keeping silk flowers from wilting when I touch them! Absolutely loved all the gorgeous pictures.
ReplyDeleteYour flowers were lovely! Too bad you had to give them up. I've kept my flowers going, mainly by planting those that can take care of themselves. If writing ever makes me feel like I have to give up my roses, it may be time to give up writing!
ReplyDelete