I have always focused on perennials and only dabbled in vegetables, leaving that part of our gardening to my hubby. In the past we have always been in a decent financial position, but with the way the economy has been going, and us getting closer and closer to retirement, I have been revisiting my focus and realized this season that I need to get more proactive and find more sources of edibles and produce more of our consumables, specifically growing plants that we can eat!
So, with a lot of thought, and great anguish, I took on the task of freeing up space for edibles in the front yard, which is the only place we have enough sun to grow them. Seeing as how it is mostly lawn in the front, that meant taking a closer look at my existing gardens, and deciding to clear out areas for this purpose. This meant having to give up many of my most prized plants and shrubs, the ones that I have been doting on for oh, so many years. The ones I sweat for preparing the original beds, and planted so lovingly, and admired so happily all these years.
And then a funny thing started happening. As I was enjoying giving away all those plants in my initial offers, it got easier and easier to part with a favorite plant here and there. And then when I realized that I needed so much more room for this new permaculture project, I bit the bullet and just cleared out the middle of the two older main beds that held my most cherished plants. I set it up that I would work on clearing specific areas when I had someone here to help with the process who would also be the one to adopt the plants being removed.
Over the course of the summer, with so much help here in the gardens, it was easier to clear out the plants knowing that they would be going to such loving gardens. As I got further into the process, I found myself giving away so much more that I ever could have thought imaginable. And I learned so much in the giving.
Giving is where it is at. Being able to share what you have with others just expands your own world so much more than you can begin to imagine. And when you understand that it is the people in your life, and only the people that matter, giving away the things is just so much easier than you can know until you start to do it.
This is the area I call the Crab bed, in full bloom this summer. These are the beautiful Sundrops amid the Peonies and Hosta.
These are the Milkweed, Liatris, and Bee Balm awaiting all the Monarchs and Swallowtails.
Here is the spectacular Black Eyed Susan in front of the Peonies.
And here you can see how full the Crab bed was.
And this is what the area under the Crab Apple tree started to look like
once I started removing plants.
I will continue to chronicle my progress, but now I need to get out in the gardens!!
No comments:
Post a Comment