The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.
√√√√√√√√~ Dorothy Frances Gurney, "Garden Thoughts"
Well, that's very nice, but our garden is chock full of weeds. Not the invasive kinds which seem to surround Rosaria (like Gorse and Scottish Broom). This is just a whole lot of plants which are growing in places we don't want them. Like, in our garden.
Actually, some of them were gifts from gardening friends, the nature of which we did not understand when we received them.
Indeed, as Voltaire observed in his Candide, «Il faut cultiver notre jardain.» "We must cultivate our garden," not just let it sit.
I'm reminded of a story of an old farmer who left an acre of land to the Devil in his will. Probate Court, unable to interpret this clause, called upon another old farmer in the area, and a friend of the deceased. Could he help the court with this particular item in the will.
"That's easy sonny," replied the farmer to the judge. "Just leave it alone, and it'll got to the Devil all by itself."
Which is what happened to our garden last summer. We had a fire in our house in June; it was September before we got back into the house, and started re-organizing. In the meantime, the yard was full of workmen and their materials. Garden in the midst of that? Not a chance!
The summer before wasn't great for gardening, either. But that's another story.
So I decided this year, healthy or not, I was going to do something in the garden.
It took an hour and a half to clean out about one square yard of one flower bed this evening. It was that badly overgrown.
Further back in the yard, it took only a few minutes to rake and edge a patch which is filling up nicely with ferns. The only problem is that the ferns are overwhelming the little spruce tree which we planted there before the ferns. The tree will have to move. But where?
After that, I spent about an hour watering -- as in moving the hose and sprinkler from one place to another. And that covered only about half the total garden space.
So I look at it this way: I'll have lots to do for a lot of evenings this summer. Until the mosquitos chase me inside.
Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
All it takes is a rake and a hoe
And a piece of fertile ground.
√√√√~ words and music by Dave Mellett (sung by John Denver)
9 comments:
Good job, Bear. When you are done, come over to Natsy's place, because she doesn't get out there much either.....(even though she knows she SHOULD!!!!)xx♥
Natsy: I'll think about coming your way after I work on my place. In the end, you might not want a Bear doing anything in your garden.
I've spent all my life chasing dirt, dusting dirt, vacuuming dirt. I'm not going to spend any time weeding it, tilling it, digging it and watering it cuz, soon enough, I'll be UNDER it. IT WILL WIN IN THE END. LOL
Dana: The dirt may win in the end; in the meantime, I'm going to play in it.
I wished I could garden, but I live in the city limits, and there are so many stray cats in the neighborhood I would be fearful of what I might earth up to eat! yikes! I might have to try bucket gardening!
Good luck with your gardening endeavors!
And Rob Bear.... some weeds are lovely too, and they never die!!!
Lorna
Trying to start a vegie garden but with four cats and a dog it's very difficult. What would a bear do?
Bella: Saw someone who had a bucket garden. The whole front yard was either cement or big patio stones, and full of buckets. Might work. Thanks for the supportive thoughts. First, we'll do flowers, then see what happens.
Lorna: True, but sometimes as much (or more) nuisance as beauty.
Wendy: First step -- get rid of cats and keep dog inside, except for when going for a walk. Somehow, I don't think that's going to work. Maybe a bucket garden? Put it on your bucket list.
Oh, it doesn't take much for the weeds to get the upper hand. My time isn't my own right now and it's all that I can do to water and deadhead the roses. I think that the way to enjoying a garden is to look past the jobs that need to be done and just enjoy. I'm still learning how to do that- certainly easier in someone else's garden.
How is gardening in your part of Canada? My sister lives in Colorado and I'm amazed at how different her soil (can you call it that?) and growing season is from Seattle.
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