Saturday, July 30, 2005

WANTED: ONE GREEN THUMB

Sometimes the light's all shining on me,
Other times I can barely see..."

When we were searching for a home in the Ft. Wayne area there were only a few things I wanted. First, a family room with a fire place. Secondly, two full baths. And last but not least by any stretch of the imagination....lot's and lot's of closets!

What I got was a beautiful landscaped yard with dozens of perennials.

I have managed in the course of two months to almost ruin the yard with neglect. The only thing I have managed to do is to plant six tomato starts the second week of June. I have just recently seen the first fruit of my labor. Other than that, I cringe if the previous owner (who is a total sweetheart, and I'm certain I will write more about her in the weeks to come) comes calling to pay a visit to her beloved flowers and trees.

I planted the tomatoes very late in the season. By Kentucky standards, they are to be planted after Derby Day, the first Saturday in May. There is little chance of a killer frost after that date.

The tomatoes are growing and need to be staked. Since I neglected to bring the cages with me from KY, I was in a bad way last week end.

Off to the local garden shop I go last Sunday praying they had something I could use. Once I arrive, I realize they are closing for the season. On the fence they have this notice:

WAGON $15.

I am actually thrilled because the wagons are so great! They have those bright red plank sides! The drill is like this, you grab a wagon and pull it around the nursery and plunk your plants in the bed. Great idea and when I first discovered the place in June I loved it! I was excited to get a wagon for $15!! It was going to look so great filled up with flowers on the front yard.

Guess what? The wagon was not for sale!!!! What was for sale, was every plant, every hanging basket I could cram in that wagon......$15.

I was like a crazy woman. One of the attending workers pointed at it and stated, "You can get some more in that corner". I'm not certain if she was being sarcastic, but you better believe I crammed some more stuff in.

All in all, I was able to cram in  seven hanging planters and about twenty annuals.

I just got finished with all the planting. My beautiful back yard will be more beautiful in a couple of weeks.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lovely it reminds me of an English garden!

Anonymous said...

I need you here...
xoxo

Anonymous said...

Great looking garden.  Sounds like you got the best deal in town.   mark

Anonymous said...

Isn't gardening good therapy?    Looking very good.   Anne

Anonymous said...

You're 1000% better at this than I am.  We looked at plants last weekend at Home Depot and Target.  We don't even know where a real nursery is. And John does all the gardening, which consists mostly of weed whacking, watering, and cleaning up after the dog! - Karen
http://journals.aol.com/MusingsfromMavarin/

Anonymous said...

What a gorgeous view!  >JEALOUS<  I am in a house new to us and I can't WAIT to see a bazillion perennials take over.  C.  http://journals.aol.com/gdireneoe/thedailies

Anonymous said...

Beautiful Garden!  I just love flowers...
Connie

Anonymous said...

Those are the kind of gardens that always make my heart skip a beat. The overgrown ones..the ones with a lot of variety. I could never grow or maintain a garden like that with this brown thumb of mine....and I wish somewhere in Ny they would have a fill your cart sale like that because I would make him try. LOL Enjoy

Anonymous said...

Ditto what Anne said: I think gardening is the best medicine.

xoxoxo,
andi

Anonymous said...

absolutely gorgeous!

Judi

Anonymous said...

Was it only one wagon to a customer?  Because I would have filled up three or four...  Have fun with the yard.  It looks great, so far!  Lisa  :-]

Anonymous said...

I'm with Lisa (politically and botanically)--I would have had a wagon train, too!  The photo is a treasure.   I sympathize with your tale of neglect.   I can only manage a container garden of pots during the summer when I'm off work, so good luck with your resolution to keep a yardfull going.  To echo others and paraphrase Luther Burbank, flowers always make us feel better and happier; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul.  
So you didn't get a fireplace and a second full bath? ):
debbi

Anonymous said...

We were in Ft. Wayne this weekend, on our way further north.  Thought about you, where you were, etc.  If I had known your garden center was selling wagonloads for $15, we woulda had a cramming contest.  ;o)  Our tomatoes go out Mother's Day, so that's pretty close to Derby Day.  They're just now starting to turn, but this whacky summer weather has played havoc with them, so I'm dealing with blossom end rot.  Ick.  But the ones that are clean are just delicious.

~~ jennifer

Anonymous said...

Just discovered that I haven't been getting your alerts.  This sounds like it was and will be gorgeous!

Anonymous said...

oh, your flowes are great... i love the Dead lyrics!
the new aol readio has an all Grateful Dead station & I am having a blast! I can almost smell pot & patchouli!
marti
http://journals.aol.com/sunnyside46/MidlifeMusings

Anonymous said...

This is one of the things that bothers me about this house. We did some initial landscaping work when we first moved in, but the yard has remained pretty much untouched for about 8 years now. If we didn't have a guy cutting the lawn, I think this place would look abandoned. lol