It's become clear to me through posts and PMs that there are some gardeners here just waiting for the chance to discuss gardening!
So, I was thinking... how do you use gardening, or how does it affect you if you need a break, need some respite, need to relax, need inspiration....how do you use it as a therapy tool in caregiving?
What are your activities: Do you go out and pull weeds, read a magazine, design new beds? Look through garden catalogues? Go to garden stores?
And what interests have you added to your gardening? Visit estate or garden displays? Do you go to garden shows?
Does anyone design and plant Knot Gardens? Raised bed planters? Assistive gardens? Pollinator gardens (and have you thought of ways to help the bees and butterflies?)
Are your gardens primarily for pleasure or food, or a mix of both? Do you grow plants for medicinal purposes? Which ones, how do you harvest and process them? Any suggestions?
Do you grow plants that can be used in crafts, such as grapevines for wreaths and lavender for lavender wands? Do you make herbal products such as creams, lotions, chapstick?
What else can you share about gardening and the means in which it nurtures your soul?
I hope your strawberry rocks do the trick! My neighbor has strawberries growing. I don’t know what she does to keep the birds away.
I would have fun painting the rocks. 😆. I have looked at painted rocks on different sites. They are cute!
My neighbor down the street has a pecan tree. He has an issue with squirrels getting to his pecans before he can get them.
I cut it back after our freeze during the winter. I was afraid that I was too aggressive with trimming it. It’s looking good now!
We can only plant things that can tolerate our long, hot summers!
Heavy labor in the garden/yard going on.
Want to stop and talk.
Actually rant about their lives.
It's getting dark.
Just cannot do this.
It's a good location with partial sun and moisture (moss grows there on the front of the deck) but the previous astilbe - the lovely pale pink one which added a nice touch to that garden - didn't survive. I found this dark red one a few years ago in a gardening center here and thought I would try again and stuck it in the same spot. It didn't do much except survive and offer a few blooms so I really wasn't expecting anything else from it.
I am a gardener of the benign neglect variety. Nothing gets pampered. I was checking the Japanese anemones and saw these feathery fronds here and there among the roses. I'll leave them be and hope they flower, though the dark red doesn't add much in that location. You hardly notice it.🙁 The pink was wonderful.
Watered the front lawns last night thoroughly. Rain is forecast so I will wait and see if I need to do the back. Everything is so dry.
I found a one eyed sphinx moth near the tap at the front. I read it is a good guy and eats other bugs. It hasn't moved so I am not sure it is alive.
The hostas are growing good strong leaves, the mountain ash is in bloom and also the lilac is doing well this year.
A few Japanese anemones are in bloom in front but they are being overshadowed by the rose bushes. I'm glad to see a few are still thriving! They are so pretty, It looks like the astilbe has seeded in amongst the roses. I'm surprised but happy to have them and hope they will bloom.
You had me curious about how many birds mate for life. I counted 24 types of birds that are committed to their mates for life. So sweet!
My plumbagos have just started blooming. The butterflies and hummingbirds love them.
I love the blue flowers. A couple of weeks ago my daughters and I were shopping and we decided to buy new nail polish.
My girls told me how boring I was for always buying the same neutral shade. I’m practical or frugal, take your pick! LOL 😆
Anyway, my girls saw a shade of polish the exact color of my plumbagos. They talked me into buying it and I put it on this morning. I must admit that it is out of character for me but it is a lovely color. I like it.
Now I am just sad for the bird.
I have a northern oriole looking for love in my neighbourhood 💕
I tried putting out half an orange for him but I guess he's not interested in that.
Having conflicting thoughts about it.
Geeeeeez, Louisiana is a swamp! We have awful mosquitoes.
I know mosquitoes are a part of the circle of life and all that but I so wish that they weren’t! LOL 😆
I remember seeing a large snake at our zoo. The zookeeper was giving a talk about how important it is not to wish to own an animal that will become difficult to manage.
The zookeeper was saying how important snakes are in controlling the rodent population. Maybe so, and I certainly understand his position from a scientific standpoint, but I still don’t like snakes!
The same goes for mosquitoes. I know they are food for other species of wildlife but I absolutely hate them! I wouldn’t hate them if they wouldn’t bite me.
I have so many allergies, including insect bites. Plus, they carry diseases that are harmful. I don’t appreciate the value they serve even if they do serve a significant purpose.
Bees sting but at least they give us sweet honey!
I think ladybugs are awfully cute and they don’t bite or sting. They are also a farmer’s friend! That’s my kind of bug!
I figure that the only way gardening can make financial sense is if you concentrate on crops that are inferior in quality or are overpriced at the grocery store - stuff like any kind of small fruits and berries, organic garlic, peppers, heirloom tomatoes, parsnips. Green and yellow beans are easy and I've been saving my own seed. I tried to grow asparagus but apparently they don't like my black walnut tree.
I guess they are called peat pots.
Will try celery and chives next.
How tall are your tomatoes? Maybe plant some catnip for kitty?
Thinking now that it is not fair to ask my dH to water daily when I cannot.
He has enough chores. So the planter boxes may be moved to the front porch so I can do the watering. Thinking about it. I will need to push through, because growing some food could be important. Can I think my way out of this and just plant Iris? Hmmmm.
Daughter1930,
There was some grown up parsely-I almost bought it! Tomorrow, I am going to get it! At least there will be the peas, and the parsley for all our work.
He is wearing a 24 hr. halter monitor so we have already stress-tested his heart, and his chiropractor will love to see him soon.
He is going to really enjoy that $130.00 salad, if it even grows!
The potting soil bags were heavy! Two bags.
Planning to make our own trellis with green wire, green garden twine, and our own bamboo.
The transplant and thinning out the seedlings did not work, so for the rest of the 122 Seed Survival Seed packet, we got some plantable starter cups.
Always read the directions on how and when to plant each kind of seed.
I did not read it, and then I did not believe it, so no lettuce this time.
My thumb is still beige. Keeping it simple, as a form of entertainment/hobby.
ana - that must have been hard!!! Glad you salvaged some. I sure understand your feeling angry.
fedup - you have lots going on in your garden. My rose bushes are barely showing ay leaves and my peonies aren't showing any. Hostas are great but mine are not showing any life yet either.
send - never heard or saw a mocking bird. Keep Tweetie safe.
Soaked the mountain ash and the Virginia creeper. Finished my watering now for a few days. Supposed to be going up to 32 C (90F) Sunday and Monday.
I actually wondered if my parakeet got out at night because the mockingbird was tweeting as part of it's repertoire. It could be mocking my new veggies outside.
My dH said it is a young male practicing his songs to attract a mate.
Wondering when 'just practice' turns to the real thing?
I haven't seen the bird.
Thankfully, you salvaged them!
Since you may be wondering why I had irises bagged and thrown in the trash and you’re a caregiving bunch... one recent summer my (dementia) mother became obsessed with my irises, which were planted primarily between our house and hers. They were so pretty. In her mind, they HAD to be destroyed. Not given away. She was relentless and obsessive, digging and pulling and chopping and bagging. I secretly went through the garbage and retrieved a lot of them. Yeah, I’m still angry about it.
Me too! They make me feel like I have a green thumb 🤣...I literally don't have to do anything with them 🤣. Kind of like hostas🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yes, I love them! Thank you! I planted 8 "Indian Chief" last spring and they've trippled. Full sun seemed to make them thrive. I'll have to split them at some point and give some away myself.
I planted some in my back yard where's there's less sun and they're doing well, but not as well as the irises in full sun.
I was very lucky to get the new ones. I shared some with my neighbor. My husband brought home around 30.
I'm in NJ and my irises just bloomed last week. My azaleas bushes bloomed two weeks before. I'm waiting on my peonies and roses that are just budding 😊
I'll have to look up mountain ash!