Gardens are out of Control

A new month on the calendar, it is May 2010.  A shiver of panic comes to me, I'm already behind.  In what exactly I'm not sure.  Maybe the fact that the flower gardens are already blooming flowers that aren't due to bloom for a couple more weeks.  I have yet to pull the first weeds, what was I thinking when I tried to establish all these flower beds.  Richard said he could solve the problem, roundup and a mower will change my out of control beds.  Not sure I can give it up that easily, but it is tempting.

Some of the beds are filled with ground cover, they are in somewhat raised beds, we can't possibly mow this unless you want to move beautiful old limestone rocks that I gathered from an old dairy barn that was lost in the 74 tornado.  Oh, I was much younger then.  Making a new planting bed was just one of those ideas that took hold and evolved into something bigger than planned.

I am a person who sees few boundary's.  There is always a way to make things work.  We couldn't afford beautiful flat limestone rocks.  That didn't stop me, I just got into our bobcat (my favorite piece of farm equipment) and put on my gloves and gathered my own rocks and brought them home.  I did have good help from my son with the big stones.  Ryan was probably about ten at the time, he already thought, like most men, that  I didn't need to move these rocks to make a flower bed.  We did it anyway and so it began, the stone border flower beds. 

Have I mentioned my love of stones?  I would watch my neighbor pick up rocks in the spring from his newly tilled fields, he'd take these large stones and dump them in a place along the fence line.  Removing big rocks from a field is an effort to save your equipment when planting or harvesting.  I'd always ask if I could go through the rock pile and bring some home for my flower beds.  Upon getting approval, I'd get into my trusty bobcat and go gathers some stones.  My wonderful husband would just shake his head when I started the bobcat and bounced my way across the farm field.  I still have a big pile of limestone rocks that I purchased from another neighbor, they were delivered and emptied in the horse area.  I still haven't found the perfect home for them.....   I am waiting for the inspiration and desire to begin another flower bed.  Right now it isn't looking good.  Spring came too quickly this year to add them to flower borders that already exist, these borders are already covered with trailing vines and and ground cover.

I have another garden that is fenced with beautiful wrought iron, created and built by my wonderful husband.  It has a lovely swinging gate and an archway to enter the garden.  I remember on Mothers Day about ten years ago our girls and I went to get quickcrete so that I could make a "stone" pathway through this garden.  I mixed the quickcrete with water in the wheel barrow, then proceeded to fill a mold with the mixture.  It set up quickly enough that I could remove the mold, turn it a quarter turn and do the next section.
By the end of Mothers Day I was happy and exhausted!  Today you can hardly walk this pathway because of all the plants (some are actually flowers) that have filled the garden.  I like plants that self seed, the garden is mostly purple cone flowers.  Lily's , Peonies, Iris, coral bells, wild violets, hostas and weeds now claim the rest of the space.  I have lost control..........  I think I need a gardener.

I actually have waiting to be planted a flat of red and white impatients, it's pretty early to plant them, frost is still a threat and as I walk out the door they greet me every morning, in hopes today is the day they can stretch their roots into the blue flower pots of soil! 

Last year I was so happy with myself when I actually harvested the giant bulbs of elephant ears and stored them in my studio for the winter.  Today I have one bulb that is already shooting out a leaf, looking for the sun in the dark corner I have stored them.  Yes, it is too early to plant them too, maybe if I keep them on the porch it will protect them from threats of frost. 

Oh dear, just writing this blog makes me feel even further behind, I should be out working in the gardens this beautiful sunny May morning.   Enjoying the fact that rain has softened the earth, I could be listening to the birds sing.  Did I mention I heard the wren this morning!  Maybe I should go sit on the porch with a flute and talk to the birds and flowers.  I wonder if the hummers are back, the feeder is waiting for them to arrive.  I heard the Northern oriole on Saturday and the barn swallows are back too.  I think I am meandering again, this is why things don't get done.  I love spring!

Photo:  upper left: some of the rocks and stones I've moved

            middle right:  looking into the fenced garden

            lower left:   purple cone flower and butterfly