When I first moved in with the hubby, the landscaping at this little suburban house was less than desirable. He mowed over the garden beds. They were over-run with mint and rose bushes that weren’t even blooming (ever). The yard was sad.
Fast-forward to today – I’ve upgraded the landscaping year by year, but this is the big one. “Flower Phase 1: 2017” is underway. The front garden is expanding, I’m adding a 3ft x 28ft bed next to the garage, I’m starting a small shade garden in one of the only shaded nooks we have, along with several little beds along our backyard fence line.
With the addition of our basement greenhouse, I am able to sow many flowers by seed this early spring, and let the seedlings get stronger in the basement under the grow lights. But it keeps raining, and I can’t get the gardens built.
Now mid-April, I got a couple of dry days to work, but although I’ve sourced tillers via friends, I have yet to actually get my hands on one. I’ve created a few pots for the container area on my deck, and they are waiting for blooms now, but the garden is at a standstill. So I did it the old-fashioned way, with a rake, shovel, and my poor hands for the past 2 days. I’m already sunburned, and I didn’t know that was possible in April in Michigan. My actual fingers hurt from pulling grass – like, the tips of my fingers ache. And I’m nowhere near done. I did, however, develop a little system with the rake that is working effectively, but slow.
I hope a tiller arrives soon, and that this will speed the process. The greenhouse is already mostly full, and also the sunny window in the guest bedroom is crowded. I need more space!
Peace, love & dirt.
