At the beginning of Spring she planted a clematis vine. It has looked like this all Summer. All shriveled and brown. An occasional sign of life with a green little leaf every now and again. I planted some Hostas and day lilies nearby and included the clematis in the inner circle of the garden bed. When I got through, it all looked like a bunch of plants in need of life support. They were all in shock at being unceremoniously dug from their former location and planted in the shade of the circle of trees. You would think they would all have thanked me for removing them from the barren wasteland in the direct rays of the sun.
Even Nan looked at them suspiciously. I know she thought I was giving her a garden of dying plants. I assured her that they would survive and thrive with a little love from the water hose and mulch.
And look!! I have been vindicated! The clematis has bloomed. It still has some dead wood in place, but just you wait and see. Next year this plant will be full of happy little blooms!
I am betting the vine will take over one side of this garden.
The hostas will guard the front and day lilies will fill in.
Nan will be needing life size gnomes!!
Miss Martha's Mexican daisies have crossed the border! These are thriving in gravel!
I suppose this plant is drought tolerant!
Martha wanted some shade. I dug and covered and hauled what seemed like tons of mulch. I hunted rocks and even sacrificed some of my own from my garden. I planted Tiger Lilies and Iris. Worked my fingers to the bone, I did!
Planted 4 Maples and 1 Sycamore tree. Spring came and the Iris refused to produce blooms, the Tiger Lillies were stingy, too. The trees looked pathetic. Martha didn't say much about the garden and I knew she was disappointed. I told her to be patient, that I knew the trees looked like brown sticks, but could still survive. She disagreed. I think if I had offered to have he who loves loud equipment plow the whole thing up and plant grass she would have been happier.
I was patient. I carefully checked on the trees for signs of life daily. I sang to them and begged them to live. Not so much for Martha's shade, but to not embarrass me in front of others. I carefully transplanted some scraggly looking Marigolds, knowing they would grow into shrub-like rounded plants. I could still see the doubt in Martha's eyes. She began to complain about the weeds that kept popping up. I pulled and yanked and often replaced the weed holes with seedlings.
Vindicated once again. Look at the Sycamore tree! It was so tiny when I put it in the ground. Maybe 8" tall and now it is waist-high! I am not one to say "I told you so ........" Wait ....... Yes I am!
Okay, okay. This one is dead. This Maple did not make it ........ but, the other 3 did!
7 comments:
ha i bet it takes over as well...pretty cool that even in the drought some things are living...we need that bit of color...
we call those 'mexican daisies' firewheels or indian blanket. and yes they are drought tolerant. their real name is gallardia.
I want some of those daisies! They would look great in my garden ;o) I think they are doing great thanks to the drought and the heat. I planted ONE okra plant and I have okra out the wazoo. Wanta trade ;o_
Oh, what a green thumb you have, my dear.
Good grief. You've given a whole new meaning to working too long in the hot sun. On the other hand, it paid off.
We were just marvelling at our Charlie Brown tree the other day. When we planted it 5 years ago it was a stick about 5 foot tall, with a diameter at it's widest of maybe...1 1/2 " - pathetic.
Now it is almost to the second story of our house, with a great trunk and has so many limbs and leaves we may have to trim it to get up on the landing to go up the stairs w/o getting wet when it rains. AMAZING.
And to think - originally it was priced at 80 bucks and we got it for free. HA! [It's a red maple if that matters.]
I do know one thing tho' - if any of my Tadpoles can save, nurture and make grow a flora that is considered non salvageable it is YOU Miss She who has the greenest thumb of them all. :) Truly an inspiration.
Your gardens look lovely. You really do have a green thumb!
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