It’s springtime and time to consider one of my least favorite activities: gardening.
I remember a conversation I had with a city dweller years ago. Upon learning that we lived on 1.5 acres of land in rural Pennsylvania, he wanted to know what kind of things we grow in our garden. He was shocked, and I was little embarrassed to admit to him that our garden consisted of two tomato plants and some very scraggly marigolds.
Gardening is not a good hobby for someone who hates bugs, dirt, sweating, hot weather. That someone is me. Over the course of our years on the land, we have tried to grow flowers and vegetables. We have battled rabbits, snails, slugs, aphids, digging dogs, drought, floods, and weeds. We concede defeat.
This year “Gardening” is at the very top of my “to-don’t” list. I would be very happy to just grow grass. I don’t have to water, weed, or dead-head the grass. I don’t even have to mow it. That’s Grandpa’s job. He’s totally on board with my new No Gardening rule, too, since, every year, I would gradually slide all of the gardening responsibility from my plate to his.
We do have a small problem though. Perennials. Perennials are those plants that grow year after year without us asking them to do so. They just volunteer to show up every year on their own. How can we strike down or bury our beautiful hostas or our showy bleeding heart? We can’t.
As indicated in this picture, when I say “we” in reference to any outdoor work, what I really mean is Grandpa. I’m there only to take photographs and offer advice.
Anyway, Grandpa dug up all of our perennial plants this spring. Lest you are feeling sorry for my taking advantage of Grandpa in this way, that’s a total of six plants. It took him less than thirty minutes.
“We” moved the plants from their previous home in our weed patch flower garden, into a very small raised bed garden near our driveway.
I thought that it would be an awesome idea to mulch around these perennials, so “we” are going to do that as soon as Grandpa buys the mulch and brings it home. I will be on hand to photograph and advise, as usual.
This Columbine plant is my personal favorite. Every time I look at it, I marvel at the fact that we did not have to pay for it again this year. Not having to pay for plants every year is probably the biggest reason why I like perennials more than annuals which bloom for one season and then die.
I’m very happy with our small garden of perennials. I think it’s going to be just the right size garden for someone who hates gardening.
How do you feel about gardening?
Yes I agree, I also prefer perennials and if you have a friend or relative who is willing to share some of theirs with you, you don’t have to buy them…my friend and mammaw did that for me
I use non perennials for my flower box and containers.
You crack me up!
I like to garden, I don’t do it well but like it.
We have begun using the square foot gardening method and are loving it!! I now enjoy gardening!! I may be mistaken, but the plant in the photo that you are referring to as bleeding heart is actually columbine (I think). I have some of them in my front flower bed, which is all perennials and shrubs. We plant annuals too, but mostly in pots.
Dawn, we tried the square foot method one year, too. I got that book for Christmas and was really into it. I’m glad to hear it’s working so well for you!
As for the bleeding heart plant, I believe I was mistaken, not you. I have been calling that plant a bleeding heart for several years, but I was wrong. I’m glad you pointed that out because I’d like to buy another one of those, and now I will know what to look for.