One of my earliest memories is working in my grandmother’s gardens. During the Depression, she and my grandfather raised chickens, selling eggs for extra income and started a small nursery complete with an orchid greenhouse. Thanks to her I had hands down the most beautiful corsages complementing my homecoming and prom dresses.
Every Saturday, my sister, brother and I would work weeding, pruning and planting for a quarter. My young cousins were paid a nickel to stay out of the way. I didn’t look forward to those Saturdays but I adored my grandmother, so I didn’t complain. What I failed to realize was that I was getting one helluva gardening lesson. Even more, I learned to appreciate the beauty of all things flora.
As I got older, I knew the names of all the subtropical plants we raised in Florida and my father, who was from Minnesota, grew orange, lime, grapefruit, banana and lychee nut trees in our yard. Fresh squeezed juice was on the morning menu. I chuckle when I see ‘pulp free’ juice in the grocery store….WHY??? That was the best part!
After I graduated from Florida State, I lost my mind and moved to New England on a whim. My husband at the time had landed in New Haven, Connecticut when he’d gone AWOL and want to return. Unfortunately, the growing season was about 10 minutes long. The first snow was in mid-October and I didn’t see the ground until May. I hated it, but having great friends helped alleviate my self-diagnosed seasonal affective disorder.
When those hyacinths and forsythia started blooming, I went manic. I learned all about organic gardening before it was even called organic gardening. Compost and manure were my secret ingredients to producing the most delicious tomatoes I’ve ever eaten. I ate them right off the vine along with cucumbers, lettuce and carrots. I fell in love with lilac bushes….planted one at every place I lived. I went nuts for indoor plants and macrame hangings. Ahhh….those were the days.
Gardening is work. When I was young and had the strength of an ox, I didn’t mind it so much. Now, it’s different. I do not have that body any longer. I’ve been blessed with osteoarthritis for over 20 years now. To do yard work requires ibuprofen and cortisone shots.
Buff Honey and I do not agree on yard work. In fact, i’ve never had a partner who prized beautiful lawns and gardens, especially, if it meant serious labor. To BH, all living things should be left to their own devices. if the weeds are choking the lawn, not to worry….the weeds are green. What more do you need? if the fire ants are crawling up my arms and legs and I’m screaming in agony as I jump in the pool, not to worry….they’re one of God’s creatures, too. As you can see, we have different philosophies. No judgment, just different.
So now, we’re back in Florida and our two year old lawn is choked with weeds after hiring someone to do the weed and feed over the summer. The grass and weeds have taken over the flower beds and shrubs, There is nothing to do except get down on my hands and knees and weed it myself or pay someone.
I admit it, I am a perfectionist when it comes to gardening. I will do it myself. Just one problem. I have to undergo weeks of physical rehab after my hip replacement before I can touch the yard.
So, for two months, I don’t even look at the garden. Now, however, my time has come.
Good God, where to start?! There’s weeding, pruning, transplanting, feeding, watering. We need to do edging. It’s a never ending job but I have to start somewhere. So, for the past four weeks, I’ve worked about two hours a day, setting mini-goals. BH does the digging, the edging installation and the disposal of the weeds and pruning.
I do the weeding. I hate it. It requires a shovel, hoe, trowel, weeder, and every bit of strength I can muster. I dug up two huge mounds of fire ants who wasted no time climbing up the inside of my jeans. I have bites all over my arms and legs. The root structures of these weeds were as extensive as the suburbs of Washington, DC. BH filled an industrial sized garbage can with them!
And now, it’s done. I finished yesterday at 11:30 a.m. I am in celebration mode.
Of course, there’s more to do….new mulching, lay down more edging, spray the lawn with Weed-B-Gone. But, today, it’s raining, so I’m going to do my very favorite gardening chore—stop by the nursery and pick up a few hibiscus, schefflera, and lantana plants.
I absolutely hate the work. I totally love the results!
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