I decided to highlight my Mom and her Spring Garden. My Mom has always been a gardener. Every year as a child, whether flower or vegetable, she was gardening. She would create new spots for gardens every year. One year, she took out part of the pavement in our driveway, with some sort of power tool, in order to add another garden in front of the bay window in the front of the house. For my Mom, I think gardening is relaxing. When she bought the house that she is in now,she was lucky the house was standing…the yard was a totally different story. Since then, she has added garden after garden, Front, back, side…she even has a water garden in the back, complete with lillypads and the resident bull frog, who seems to find his wayback…year after year. Who can blame him… he has the bestpad in town. All of his froggie friends must be so jealous. Her house has the best looking gardens on the block. Neighbors would stop to talk to the flower lady and compliment her on the yard. At the yearly neighborhood yard sale, customers always ask if any of her flowers are for sale.
It’s not only about the flowers. It’s also about the design and the placement of the garden ornaments. White picket fencing, garden stones with inspirational words, rockingchairs, birdhouses and birdbath sand garden flags MUST be strategically placed. Bluebirds and Hummingbirds come from miles around. Last year she added a custom built garden shed to the yard. Tons of flowering vines were trained to climb up the sides. The shed company couldn’t believe how great it looked after she painted and staged it. They contacted her and she gave her permission for them to snap a photo and they used it as the home page of their website!
And she is so proud of her work. When shooting the photos, she had to remind me "It’s still early, it is only the spring garden, give it a few weeks and it will start coming in." When I tried to snap a picture of the side of the house and the adorable potting shed, she scolded me, "You can’t go over there, that side is not done yet!" Not done, meaning not raked, weeded, planted, primped…whatever it is that she does!
You see, I have not exactly inherited her green thumb. I used to kill every plant that Iowned. No matter what..I would give them full sun and drown ’em in water, everyday. After all, that’s what they tell you plants need…right. Sun and water. I learned the hard way that it depends on the plant. Some want shade and want to be completely dry before you water them again. Huh…who knew?
Now that she is retired, she has even more time to devote to her gardening. For years we have encouraged her to start her own gardening business. She has planted gardens for friends and co-workers. We even came up with a name, Patsy’s Posies. Her name is Pat and her cousins and aunts would call her ‘Patsy’ when she was little. She hated it, still does….but somehow in the context of flowers, it becomes tolerable. Her love of gardening and love for her familycome from the same place in her soul. She likes to care and nuture. She showers with love and we bloom. She exudes warmth anda sunny personality and we blossom. We all benefit from her nurturing spirit.
Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom…the gardener.
Photos: My Mom in her garden on Mother’s Day