Gardening with Soule

Two years ago my family moved into a great old house with tons of character.  It definitely takes up a lot of our time.  There is a large extra lot that gives us so much space.  We immediately fenced in our yard so our dog could have the run of it.  There was nothing but lawn and a few huge trees.  I have been diligently working to change that.  Of course the trees are great and so is the lawn but I needed flowers.  The soil is rocky and mostly clay.  Aside from a few perennials along the driveway side of the house, there wasn’t much here at all. I have pretty much had to add dirt anywhere I wanted to grow something so it has been quite an undertaking.  I have drastically changed the landscaping in the front of the house as well.  I pulled out some tired old bushes that hadn’t been tended to in a very long time.  It became a blank slate and I am on a mission to make it more beautiful every year.  This will be our second summer here and I am pleased with what returned from last year.  I have already added many perennials and shrubs and am waiting patiently for the frost danger to subside so that I can get my annuals in.   I plan on adding more each year to make it better and better. The house we used to have had all shade.  We had a huge maple tree that canopied over the whole back yard.  It was absolutely beautiful but not the greatest place to grow under.  I made the best of it.  I loved my garden there.  It was small but nice.  When we arrived here I was thrilled to be able to put plants in that like sunshine and lots of it.  I think the amount of garden space available to me sometimes gets overwhelming because I want it all right now.  As you know, being a gardener, that just doesn’t happen.  You have to build slowly, year by year.

I also try to keep in mind that kids need space to have wiffle ball games and play catch or throw a football around.  Although my son is a teenager, he still does all those things with his friends.  So for a few more years I will stay at the perimeters and leave a bit of yard for them.  My husband’s mom used to tell me “you can always grow grass and flowers but you can’t always grow kids or your dog.”  So whenever a football lands on my poppies or my dog gets stuck behind the clematis that is in full bloom, I try to keep it in perspective because I know she was right.  Kids do grow too quickly and dogs even quicker. 

So now you know what I am working with.  It is alot of work but I love every minute of it.  

           He who plants a garden, plants happiness ~ Cicero