Diary of a Gardener January’s half over
Lately I have been thinking a lot about my Granny, who passed away 24 years ago. I tend to garden a lot like her, or at least I used to. It was very much a “throw paint at the wall” thought process. The more the merrier; a bit hap hazard, very free and little cohesion. That is how she did everything. She marched to the tune of her own beat all while laughing so loud the neighborhood could hear her. She loved flowers. Like her, I love flowers, color, textures, and experiments. The difference between her and I, she had two acres to play in. I do not. I love plants and it is extremely hard for me to part with the plants I love, but there comes a time when it is better for the plant to pass it along to someone who can give it the life it deserves. I also just bought twelve new roses last week, so there was a major rearrangement in the garden. For the first time ever… I am proud of my garden. There is still so much to look at and for your eye to follow, butterflies to travel to and bees to pollinate, but there is cohesion now. The colors below the roses are the same. It looks less like a fruit cocktail and more like a planned (fun) garden. Also, all my containers, are of the same color scheme, blue. There are fewer knick-knacks, and items to distract you from the plants.
Let us get back to those twelve rose bushes. My mom and I traveled to Newberry and Alachua, FL last week to Rose Petal’s Nursery and Angel’s Garden. I was not sure I was in FL anymore. Outside of the treacherous gravel road to get to Angel’s Garden it was a spectacular setting and so much education. I am still new to rose growing. Growing roses in FL is something many do not have the heart for, but I have learned it is best to educate yourself and set yourself up with the correct expectations. Both rose growers only grow on “own root” not on grafted rootstock. Many of these roses are called heritage roses or old garden roses. They both really spoke to me when they emphasized creating good microbiomes for the soil and not spraying until it is necessary. Many times, we get impatient and do not let nature take care of itself. I know it is hard, but it is best to sit back and let Mother Nature do her job.
I had already created the room for the roses, but now was the time to really construct the beds for optimal growth and my happiness. I spent all day, Friday and Saturday arranging, digging, moving, and creating the space of which I am now so proud. I finished everything down to mulch. There was so much work I forgot to eat all day and there is a permanent stain of soil under my fingernails. Oh, the joys of being a gardener.
Along with planting, I repotted many plants, got rid of more distractions, and repainted several ceramic plants stands. I want to put a sign up now saying “Garden Tours $5”. There is always going to be work to do, rearranging, repotting, but outside of minor changes I feel good I can sit back and enjoy the garden, for maybe a few more weeks until I decide to change something else.
As I go back to read what I wrote in my journal this week it read, “This week was about creating a pleasant experience in my garden.” Creating something I am proud of and is easier to look at and easier to take care of. I want the garden to tell a story.” What is that story? Maybe, I will tell the story next week.
We have had more rain in the last few weeks than we had in all of 2023. The temperatures have been below average, and the sun has not been shining much. January in Sarasota can be unpredictable, just like our gardens. I have learned to roll with it. As my great aunt said, “don’t dwell on things you cannot control.” Stay tuned for next week’s adventures in the garden.
