Working Outside

I am lucky to live in a neighborhood where home improvements go on. The cement truck comes, the roofers come, new windows appear on a regular basis, flowers appear. While I have contributed my share to the home updating process, I've done little landscaping.

The first summer I moved in during early August and the temperature was in the upper 90's for weeks. Not the time for gardening. Last year I made a tentative start, a little gardening spot between the sidewalk and driveway, which was a pain to mow anyway. At the end of the summer I laid out a small garden area in the back, covered it with cardboard and topsoil, and planted a few perennials and herbs elsewhere. Sarah took out a couple of half dead shrubs in front.

All this was slow going for me, and I've realized that when I move there is a little grieving process going on for past gardens and the part of myself that's gone in them. I miss the helleboros and fire on the mountain at the Ecovillage, the rosemary plants with southern exposure that reappeared healthy in the spring along with the beautiful sage. The chocolate mint, trying to get things started on the trellises, the okra that had beautiful flowers one year. And the large yard before that, with the special roses, ornamental grasses, heirloom tomatoes in the garden, and the rhubarb that was finally big enough to produce fruit for a pie.

Finally, on Monday, my truck turned into the garden center and came out loaded with bags of mulch. I know myself. Once one bag is spread out, just one bag, the motivation is there to continue.

I mulched the little area beside the sidewalk, then started pruning the shrubs in front. By the time I was done, the shrubs were half their size and the bed was larger and spread with mulch. Because I'm a fan of laying down cardboard and putting soil on top, there won't be any planting there this year, just a few ornaments and pots. And I'll probably enlarge the bed in the fall. In the meantime, it looks better, much better, and I'm happy driving up.

I've realized that I can have another "garden" area by putting pots of flowers on the porch, too. Little preparation required.

About a month ago, I planted onions beside the sidewalk. I don't like onions much, but I love the idea of something early and green.

So now I have a start. I know from experience that it will just go on from here.