1/08/2015

my first ever garden and other surprises

I have mentioned before that my brain can't find its way out of 'the box'. I confess, I am anal in my thinking. 

I hate movies and books that don't tell me how things end. 

I flunked math in college because I had to know why complicated math problems had to be solved in a particular order and nobody could tell me. 

I have to work really hard sometimes to understand puns. 

And so it is with our garden. 

As a bit of background, this is the first house that the owners built to live in as they build the 'family home' on the other end of the pastures paddocks. I have no idea how old this house is but it has wallpaper that I would guess is from the 1960's. 


I can't imagine how many people have rented it, but I do know that most renters don't do much with the gardens. We are exceptions and try to make each place we rent a little better than we found it. 

Last summer (our first in this house)  since I had hurt my back and Hubby was working a lot, there wasn't much done outside. Hubby did move some irises that needed to be divided and he planted some pink dahlia bulbs that we had brought with us. In the back, there were 2 huge, pink, gorgeous peony poppies growing. That's all--just those 2 flowers. So Hubby and I made sure that when it went to seed, we gathered the seeds to plant the next spring. He also re-planted my two jasmine plants that we brought in the space where the peonies were because it didn't get sun all day long. Besides having a huge unnamed bush removed from the front garden, that was the extent of our gardening.

This summer is quite different. Where the 2 peonies were (and the jasmines were planted), there are many peonies growing (apparently we missed quite a few seeds!) along with a heap of calendulas (of course, they grown everywhere) and some interesting plants that have tiny blossoms. Even with all their company the jasmines seem quite happy but my poor brain wasn't expecting this explosion of color!


In the front of the house, where the bush was remove, I planted that space for my very first ever garden from seeds.


In my 'organized' (Hubby calls it OCD) way, I planted specific seeds on one side and mixed seeds on the other. To my great and anal surprise, there is stuff that I didn't plant growing everywhere! Remember the peony poppy seeds? Well, I planted my seeds, but those plants are tiny and other poppies are taking over! In the photo below, all the light green in the middle are poppies I didn't plant and the tiny ones to the left are the ones that I did.


Hubby says that the weather is better for gardens this year than last and I'm sure that has a lot to do with all the blooming going on. I know I shouldn't be surprise that decades of people have come and gone in this house and some have planted their own gardens along the way, but I am still a little girl full of wonder as I see the fabulous colors of nature all around. 

21 comments:

diane b said...

You are to be commended for trying to make a garden in a rental property. It is nice to see people be proud of their home whether they own it or not.I'm sure you are going to have a wild mass of colour in Spring.

Gosia said...

I like your garden

Amy said...

what a cool post and I remember wallpaper like that in my nana's house when I was growing up, love those retro patterns, makes me feel home again...

Mersad said...

I like that you are taking care of the garden. I love doing that every year with my dad, and why shouldn't you enjoy it just because it's a rental property.

Mersad
Mersad Donko Photography

Janneke said...

rental property or owners property gardening gives so much pleasure, especially when you have sown your own seeds. Poppy seed is an oily seed which can remain for years in the soil. So the extra poppies you have not sown yourself are a wonderful bonus. Wish you a colourful spring and summer in your garden!

Hetty said...

Dear Betty, First of all, what a large garden to a rental home! With a view to a mountain with snow on it!!! Beautiful. I think it is good to let go and be surprised what seeds are doing. I do so, and find the most surprising colour combinations. And if I don't like it, I pull out. Groetjes, Hetty

Linda Kay said...

My hubby has taken over all things garden, as he took a class to be a master gardener. I just pull weeds.

Anita Johnson said...

This story reminded me of my gardener friend who is 85 plus years old. She had been a gardener all her life and had seen it all. She planted rows of lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, beans, just like you did . We had a torrential rain one spring and her garden was destroyed...or so she thought. The seeds sprouted and she said to , " well look at the, an instant tossed salad."
I don't have very good luck with seeds...seems like you might have a green thumb!

Andy said...

From what I have read here you should be proud of one thing. You are extremely honest.

Jillian's Bella Rosa Antiques said...


I'm just impressed that you live in NZ!

I'm also impressed because I do not seem to have a green thumb, and I saw a lot of green there.

:)

Thank you for stopping by my blog for Pink Saturday. I'm a little late to arrive.

aspiritofsimplicity said...

I love to garden and have been thinking I will do a bit more of it this summer. I am going to order some seed catalogs this spring.

Suburban Girl said...

Your landlords must adore you.

Mari said...

It's always beautiful to have a garden around. My mom has one and she spend most of her time cultivating her plants. Yours will look great in spring as flowers start to bloom.

Marja said...

Still a happy New Year and what a great
garden you are developing These stranger poppies might have blown over

likeschocolate said...

Good job on creating a garden.

This N That said...

Nature will always have surprises for you..Gardening is full of them..Enjoy..My OCD has caused me to pull out and move more plants/trees and shrubs than I care to count..

Amy at Ms. Toody Goo Shoes said...

Good luck with your garden! It's wonderful that you are improving a rental property!

Joe Todd said...

I love surprises in gardens.. Nothing growing in my part of the world right now... Really enjoy your blog.

Rajlakshmi said...

I would love to have a garden like yours. My mother used to do a lot of gardening. She would manage to get plants and seeds of different varieties and nurse them to grow into beautiful flowers.

Anita said...

The green of the land, your garden and that spectacular view makes a serene and beautiful place to live.

Jenn Jilks said...

It's so good to see the greenery! What a lovely home. We're frozen and cold and white.