Renewal

It may be one of life's biggest cliches, but it's certainly one of the most powerful: spring = renewal. When the sun comes out and the temperatures warm up, windows are washed, closets and cabinets are de-cluttered, and winter coats are stored to make room for shorts and bathing suits. Bikes are tuned up, grills and decks and pools are cleaned. But nowhere is renewal more evident than in the garden.

When we moved into this house nearly three years ago, I was burned out on gardening. Our former neighbors had done some renovating that threatened the garden at my old house (our back yards opened on to each other, and heavy equipment would come through), and I was unwilling to put any more time or money into plants that were likely to be destroyed. I was losing the battle for the roses to aphids and blackspot. When we arrived here, we had unpacking and painting and a sick kitty to tend. What little garden had been established by a previous owner was left to fend for itself.

Fast forward three years later, and the untamed woods behind our home has crept into the garden, one root at a time. Big bamboo-like weeds, which you can see in the background of the photo below, had overtaken the stone garden that a former owner landscaped. They, and a particularly vicious vine, had overrun the garden, tearing landscape fabric and strangling the evergreen bushes and other plants once residing peacefully in their spaces. How like life sometimes. 

When I walked in the backyard to monitor the flooding from last week, I noticed that even the most hardy evergreens were now dead. Thorny canes were sprouting and those bamboo-like weeds were again beginning to spread, their green shoots now eager to disrupt the foundation wall by wedging themselves in between the stones. It was time to take control, and start over.

 
Click to enlarge. The gazing ball and obelisk came with me from our old house.

For two days, I have been digging, clipping, and ripping all of these weeds out. The picture above was taken between days one and two, when the tall, dead bamboo stalks were removed, but not yet the vines or dead bushes. The landscape fabric still has to be torn out, since it's obviously not keeping the weeds down. The stones have to be reset. At night I have been poring over garden catalogs, flipping through my old gardening books, and sketching out ideas. Poppy seeds, like those from the poppy plants in my old garden, are being tended in a seed tray in my creative room. I have already quoted to them from John Keats' poem To Sleep: "ere thy poppy throws/around my bed its lulling charities" just like old times. I'm kind of geeky like that. I can't wait for them to sprout.

I don't know yet what my garden will be. In part it is a memorial garden for our beloved Charlie. It may also be an evening garden, though I don't think I'll limit myself to white blossoms. I hope to include butterfly friendly plants, and herbs too. Old friends like the poppies will hopefully thrive, but I hope that new friends like daisies and sage will join me in welcoming a new summer and a new beginning.

Comments

[Sara]

Speaking of poppies - when I was at Acadia National Park this past year - I went to one of the local gardens and they have BLUE poppies. Oh, they are so beautiful!

[Danielle]

Your garden looks like it has lots of potential and I can't wait to see how it looks a month or two from now! My backyard faces north and we have too many trees around the perimeter, so I have a hard time getting anything pretty to grow!

[Robin]

I've never had luck with poppies so I am going to live vicariously through you!

[Sydney]

I can't wait to see how your garden looks. It's in a lovely spot.

I lost a good sized rosemary plant to the rain this winter, not to mention the yard just generally running wild.

[Leah]

Yes, spring is the time for rebirth! How exciting that you are tackling your garden with visions of creating a peaceful oasis there. Two weeks ago we took inspiration from spring and started weeding our garden too--we get up at 7 & pull weeds/trim hedges, etc. for half an hour before work starts every day. Being outside and smelling the fresh smell of plants and seeing the lovely native flowers bloom is such a wonderful way to start the day! Thanks to our efforts from last year, we have a large bed of California poppies, along with blue grass and yellow and orange-daisy shaped Calendula flowers. All native plants to keep the bees, insects and birds happy!

[Sarah]

I'm looking forward to seeing your progress on the garden! It looks like it gets a nice amount of sun for a variety of different plants.

[Chris]

It sounds like you and the garden were incubating and now you're ready to start again.

[Dorothy W.]

That sounds like a lot of hard work, but very satisfying work too! I'm looking forward to the chance to see it someday this summer, maybe, if I'm lucky :)