New Projects!
The seasons may be changing, and the garden may be fading a bit, but there is always time for a new project (or two)! In fact, this time of year is a perfect moment to assess your garden, and to figure out what is working, or not? It may not be the bare-bones time of winter - when our garden structure is completely visible - but when summer flowers begin to fade away and things begin to look less than summertime-perfect, it is a very good time to just take a look around to see what makes you happy, and that which does not. All gardens have a bit of room for some change or rejuvenation. That is how progress is made and how our gardens grow. Do not settle for something that does not make you completely happy. Take a good hard look around and be kind, but critical; there is always room for improvement. Besides, new projects - whether a major garden change, or just some interesting new plants - are fun!
Earlier this summer I changed a small part of my front garden - which had just a bench and some worn out grass - into a brand new ‘area’, with stepping stones and mulch and a few new plants. I took up all of the grass (there really wasn’t much there). I built a small rock wall behind the bench in order to help define the area, as well as to add some winter interest for when the summer plants die back. And within a few hours, the area had been completely transformed - for the better, I think. This had been an area of my garden where I had been contemplating making a change - mostly because I just wanted to get rid of more grass - which really was not attractive and just proved difficult and annoying to mow (I use a hand push, reel mower to cut what little lawn I have left). Anyway, this small patch was more bothersome than beautiful - and I wanted it to be beautiful - so I dug up the grass, planted some new plants (sedum and bergenia), added some mulch and then placed the stepping stones in a pattern to best reach the bench through the plantings.
Overall, the project proved to be rather simple - only a few hours of work to be honest. I started in the morning, took a break and then finished in the afternoon. In gardening time that really is nothing at all. Some projects go on for days, or even weeks. But that is how the garden evolves. And whether it be a simple change, or a long-range plan - garden projects help to make our landscapes what we wish them to be. Maybe all is not possible, but little by little, with some planning and thought - and some hard work, of course - our gardens can become exactly as we envision. And if we change our minds, that is fine - change just creates the new project. As we all know, no garden is ever truly finished. And who would ever want it to be? Any excuse to plan and dream, and then to go outside into the garden to plant and create, is ideal to me; I never would want it to be ‘all done’.
So of course, if taking my own advice, I will continue on and plan new projects. And since it has already been a few weeks since completing the above project, I am already thinking of new ideas and plans. In fact, the previous project has indeed encouraged me to go forward and continue (new projects constantly circulating in my head). Which gets me thinking again about the remaining lawn (the dreaded grass!). Really, barely none of it exits anymore except for a small amount in the front yard that acts as more of a pathway than an actual lawn. Seeing how nice the above project turned out, I am encouraged to once and for all get rid of the rest of the grass. It really is more trouble than it is worth - for me, anyway.
As a new project, I am thinking of removing ALL of the remaining grass and adding a combination of brick and gravel pathways that will meander through the front garden, as I have throughout the rest of my property. It will be a bit of a larger project, and one that will most likely be accomplished in stages - which is fine, because really - what’s the rush? Besides, doing things little by little allows you to take a step back and to look at the ‘whole’ to determine if you are going in the right direction. I usually am a very focused person who trusts my initial instincts, so I think that I am good with this one - and with this decision - but it is never a bad idea to just take a look around once in a while when you are doing something to make certain that you are happy with how things are turning out. No matter, I am very determined for a ‘new project’ and I think that the cooler days of autumn will be the perfect beginning. In fact, I want to get out there right now and start digging up the rest of the lawn! I will be sure to keep you updated as to my progress…
Until next time…
