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1011
N. Woodlawn
Kirkwood, Missouri
63122
314-965-3070
MailSCG@aol.com |
It started
with a pumpkin seed...in a tiny pot...on a window sill. I was 5 or maybe
6. There were several siblings younger than I and the little pot fell
one too many times. That was the end of my first gardening experience.
The next one was when I was 19, now the eldest of 10. This time I
attempted a tomato patch -- alone. Dad grew roses and tomatoes. He was
successful; I was not. But, however, the digging, dirt and sweat were
not adverse to me at all. As much as I liked to get all dressed up and
lady-like, I liked playing in the dirt even more, and nine years of
piano lessons, eight years of knitting and sewing, four years of college
art and six-and-a-half years as art teacher had not assuaged my desire
to work with my hands.
The serious garden attempts grew after I married my best friend, and we
acquired our first and only house in Crestwood.
A
stay-at-home mom, I started my first garden with a packet of seeds
in a 4-foot plot. Utter failure! Then came the flats of impatiens,
of course, then perennials, roses, and voila! Best of Missouri
market, Sugar Creek Gardens a vendor, a conversation with our
venerable owner, and I am invited to come and work at the nursery!
Wow and yikes!!! The customer became the employee and the rest is
history.
So, 50 years after the pumpkin seed failed, I have seen some successes.
I do have to say that I put the plants in the garden and God makes them
grow. Why some failures and other successes? I do not always know, and I
probably have more questions than answers. I do know that soil prep HAS
TO BE THE BEGINNING. Do you feed your children only bread and water?
Well, then, put your plants in a well-prepped garden! I guess I think
cotton burr compost is the answer to everything. Well, it almost is.
There are other great products that help, like Bayer All in One, and
Rosetone. When you read the tag on a plant, sometimes you have to read
"outside the tag." My Rozanne geranium is about 6 feet across --
sprawlingly. The tag says 20" tall by 24" wide. Hah!
Plants with which I'm in love and, yes, even overwhelmed, are Moonbeam
coreopsis. It may be boring to some, but this neutral yellow goes with
everything -- I should know! As an attempted artist, color was my
favorite aspect of design. Combine that with shape and texture and whoa!
Something is happening!
Ann's stunning shade garden
Also, hurray for Heucheras! Kiss-kiss, hug-hug! I could do an entire
garden in them. Nothing boring here; Snow Angel, Cherries Jubilee,
Peach Flambee...I am in heaven. And speaking of heaven, what about the
Heaven on Earth rose? I have two, and in 25 years, I've never had a
bush with this many flowers! Gorgeous!
Wait. What is that fragrance beneath my mailbox? Holy cow it is 'Glacier
Bay' daylily. As if the clean lemon yellow and the enormous size
weren't enough!
Even her mailbox
is cute!
A
charming seating area in Ann's garden
So you see, if I was any happier I'd have to say I was already in
heaven. Last week, I began to think that maybe our feeble attempts at
gardening are actually efforts to find Eden. Those of us who garden are
so blessed with this great escape. Yep, gardening is the great escape.
Amen. Hallelujah!! Pass the compost!!!
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