Good Morning! Now, as the season has ended in the northeast part of the country, of course I have visions of next year. Gardens involve a lot time which means a lot of sweat, achy muscles, wear and pain on my bad knees, lots of cursing for various reasons (ie, squirrels, weeds, mosquitos...) and lots and lots of hours spent NOT cleaning inside my home!
So, why do I have a garden? Why fill up the space with stuff that constantly needs to be maintained... and the majority winds up as being removed through the year with trimming and clipping and weeding and pulling out when its dead and gone. Isn't it easier to maintain unplanted space?
This year, in early March, the earth in my yard began to wake with the snowdrops...
and the hellebores.
Then in late March the crocus emerged...
In April, green leaf buds swelled and erupted from the bare branches of shrubs and bushes...
And more hellebores bloomed..
Towards the end of April, the first goldfinch appeared having shed their winter coats!
And in May, the cat discovered catnip growing in the warming soil.
The starling sat pretty amongst the blooming pear tree
But the oriole was attracted by the sweet scent and nectar
With the rose breasted grosbeak singing his song....
It was time to begin plantings and watch the garden grow.
But why do I tend this greenery? It would rather fall into chaos and it seems I spend much time trying to tame it, keep it trimmed and pruned and weeded. But all plant life wants to grow amok. And they don't seem to mind mingling.
Two years ago, I transplanted the dutchman's pipevine that had been growing slowly and barely in the shade. This year I was rewarded with many blooms...
And later the pipevine swallowtails came...
A pond has been in my yard since the mid-80s. They've grown in size and moved in location. This year a stream went in, and the month of May didn't just mean putting in the tomatos and other veggies, May meant warbler migration! And warblers love the water. I had a lot pass through, and I'm certain the sound of running water was the attraction.
A pond and stream meant water plants or plants around them...
and of course, tadpoles...
That eventually turned into frogs.
This year, I planted no sunflowers. The birds planted these sunflowers. I think they planted them knowing that they would bear the seeds in August when they needed to feed their young, and perfect timing is what it's all about.
So why plant a garden? Why sweat to tend this green space? To provide perfect perch spots?
Or a place to catch some winks?
For the bounty? For humans...
and non-humans?
Or maybe just a peaceful environment for the smallest...
and for the quickest...
and even for a predator at large...
I have a garden that provide for many lives and watching those living beings flutter, fly, hop, swim, crawl and even strike with death - it brings me peace. And solace.
The season comes to an end and the browned sunflowers are spent.
It's time to put the green garden to bed, but the lives that reside in it are still abound.
Dreaming of warm blue skies and flowers to come next year...
And so, why do you have a garden?