Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Gardener Unawares



I seem to have become a novice gardener in a short space of time.

It started about a month ago when my cousins in Missouri sent plants to me for starting a butterfly & hummingbird garden as a memorial to my mother who passed away last November. It is a lovely thought and gesture. It is something I've long thought would be fun to have, seeing as I love both species.

I just . . . never got around to doing it.

Now I will, though it is being an interesting process as I don't have anywhere already established to put such a garden - or any garden really - other than the beds in front of my house which 1) have horrible soil and 2) are both part to mostly shade type areas not part to full sun as a couple of the plants require.


But that's not all! By getting plants now, you'll double this new hobby! That's right, you'll win a herb garden in a box! Lovely, fresh herbs all planted and ready for your yard in an old ammunitions box with easy to use rope handles!


And, I did.

A friend of mine is apprenticing with her grandmother to take over the business her grandparents have run for around 30+ years - Green Acres Herb Farm in Lowpoint, IL. They have built a new shop building on their farm, they now have a website, http://www.greenacresherbfarm.com/ and they are ramping up their visibility. To celebrate these changes, especially the new shop, they had a grand opening open house.

And I won the door prize!
The large box sitting in front of the Green Acres Herb Farm shop is my door prize.

Until I figure out where to put some gardens, my butterfly & humming bird garden plants are being well cared for by Ray Saul who has a garden with room for some short term plant-visitors. My box garden is here:
Herb garden in a box at the southern edge of our backyard.

I'm enlisting the help of several friends, including Rebecca Van Nydeggen, writer of the Courier "ReClaim, ReCycle, ReConstruct" blog. http://www.lincolncourier.com/community/blogs/reclaim_recycle_reconstruct_blog  to help create my new garden beds in the best locations for both the plants and my yard.

I'll keep you all posted on my progress in becoming a gardener. :-)

Do you garden? Flower? Veggies? Herbs? All of that?  Share your helpful hints and encouragement with me here at Bits, Bobs & Burblings!

6 comments:

  1. I used to love gardening, until I moved to Florida. My green thumb is brown here and, anytime I go into my back yard, I end up in the emergency room with a really bad rash. So, I'll follow along and enjoy your garden with you.

    Dennise

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    1. Florida is a whole other world, that's for sure. Dennise, I'll enjoy having you come along for a walk in my garden as it comes to life.

      Thanks so much for commenting. :-)

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  2. I love gardening and I'm in the learning curve for a whole new area: southern New Mexico. I'm also a writer and find that one doesn't always leave enough time for the other.

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    1. Hi Ellen & welcome to my blog. :-)

      That is a big change if you're from a more temperate climate. I really think it's best to go as native with your plant choices as possible so you're not needing to use a lot of water keeping less heat-tolerant plants alive.

      Lots of things seem to steal away time for writing! LOL Hope you find a happy balance. :-)

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  3. Hi Sandra,
    I read your blog and looked at your pictures and had to smile. Everything I touched that is green soon withers away. I believe plants have put out a beware sign, when they see me coming. I am not a gardner but it is so nice to read about how much fun it gives you.
    Thank you for sharing.
    Ciao,
    Patricia

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    1. Hi Pat! :-)

      I do OK. Plants need to be the sort that are good at enduring occasional forgetfulness if they come to live with me. Having this many outdoor plants is going to be a real change.

      Hugs,
      Sandra

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