It's become clear to me through posts and PMs that there are some gardeners here just waiting for the chance to discuss gardening!
So, I was thinking... how do you use gardening, or how does it affect you if you need a break, need some respite, need to relax, need inspiration....how do you use it as a therapy tool in caregiving?
What are your activities: Do you go out and pull weeds, read a magazine, design new beds? Look through garden catalogues? Go to garden stores?
And what interests have you added to your gardening? Visit estate or garden displays? Do you go to garden shows?
Does anyone design and plant Knot Gardens? Raised bed planters? Assistive gardens? Pollinator gardens (and have you thought of ways to help the bees and butterflies?)
Are your gardens primarily for pleasure or food, or a mix of both? Do you grow plants for medicinal purposes? Which ones, how do you harvest and process them? Any suggestions?
Do you grow plants that can be used in crafts, such as grapevines for wreaths and lavender for lavender wands? Do you make herbal products such as creams, lotions, chapstick?
What else can you share about gardening and the means in which it nurtures your soul?
(I'm also considering liberating a few stems from the park trees and attempting to root them 🤔)
I might have to turn up the heat, I just turned it down a few days ago. It has been so wet and chilly. The good part is more desirable weeds are crowding out the undesirables!
When I bought this home three years ago, I really wanted a patio home, or even a smaller lot. All the smaller lots were primarily homes of the 50's through the 80's that have never been updated. It is too much for me!
need - I have to pay people to do most of it. DD and sil, and R, when he is here, will do some. Got the dandelions sprayed and some fertilizing done - only do what I can manage.
I am waiting for estimates for cleaning up the beds in the back and creating a patio area in one corner of the lawn. I have realized that nothing survives in one part of that bed so I will probably have it paved over too and do something creative there.. I have two benches for seating that need a coat of paint but are fine otherwise. I will buy a fire pit and may move the BBQ there too so it will be a nice cookout/relaxation area. The two loungers I put on the back deck look great. It rained heavily today and they seem to have survived well.
I think I will get some barrel planters - one for the rhubarb and one for strawberries at least. Container gardening is workable for me, I think.
🤣 LOL, Quite a visual! Underwear and smoking weed. At least listen to good music! Hahaha
Oh my gosh, I am such a music snob! I am so spoiled. New Orleans has fantastic music! You’re right, playing crappy music would drive me away!
You have your work cut out for you! I can’t imagine doing all of that. I love a beautiful yard but I can’t do it myself anymore. I got tired of dealing with my allergies and my husband has had two shoulder surgeries so we have to pay a gardener.
And you have asparagus in a pot - I never would have thought of that.
I need more pots.
If you like apricots, they have self pollinating ones and the fruit is fabulous.
So many things that you can make with them and I am sure that you would not have a problem sharing after you have processed all of them that you can use.
My fave is pineapple apricot jam and, of course, just plain canned apricots. Both easy and wonderful for recipes all year long.
I had a lovely one for years, until the neighbors decided to divert there pool drain and kept swamping it overnight. I will be planting a new one this year as hard scape is getting finishing.
I love cherry tomatoes 🍅! They seem sweeter to me. I love smaller gardens that aren’t a ton of work. I especially love the idea of community gardens in the city. Lots of volunteers and plenty of fresh produce!
Have you tried the recipe for pasta with feta cheese and cherry tomatoes? My daughter made it for us. It’s a recipe that went viral online. It was delicious!
Fast-forward to this year, and back in March I planted eight Roma plants, three Celebrities, and two varieties of cherry tomatoes. My husband and I went out of town two weeks ago and returned 10 days later to plants that were twice the size they were when we left, and one of the Celebrity plants has 17 tomatoes set on it. We're going to have a bumper crop again this year!
I also have onions, an artichoke, and basil planted in various corners of the yard, so I should be able to make a mean pizza in a month or so!
I am not good at it... I love watching, smelling and taking pictures of flowers but am a bad gardener!
I do love honeysuckle! I walked to school and I always stopped to smell the honeysuckle. Thanks for bringing back that sweet childhood memory!
Our magnolia trees are blooming and they are really nice. I still love the scent of gardenias better but they are both smell lovely.
It is also an alternative name for the Greek Goddess of Agriculture! Chloe is used during springtime.
Chris,
Sounds fantastic!
Plant the Cherry tree and then you can bake cherry pies!
My daddy had a lemon tree and a kumquat tree. They bloomed like crazy! It’s a lot of fruit. You will probably have to share with your family, friends and neighbors.
Mom used to can plums CM. Mmmmm.
Cherries less of a problem, plus you'll have a few bucketfuls of guano to put on your flowerbeds after the birds have finished them.