It's become clear to me through posts and PMs that there are some gardeners here just waiting for the chance to discuss gardening!
So, I was thinking... how do you use gardening, or how does it affect you if you need a break, need some respite, need to relax, need inspiration....how do you use it as a therapy tool in caregiving?
What are your activities: Do you go out and pull weeds, read a magazine, design new beds? Look through garden catalogues? Go to garden stores?
And what interests have you added to your gardening? Visit estate or garden displays? Do you go to garden shows?
Does anyone design and plant Knot Gardens? Raised bed planters? Assistive gardens? Pollinator gardens (and have you thought of ways to help the bees and butterflies?)
Are your gardens primarily for pleasure or food, or a mix of both? Do you grow plants for medicinal purposes? Which ones, how do you harvest and process them? Any suggestions?
Do you grow plants that can be used in crafts, such as grapevines for wreaths and lavender for lavender wands? Do you make herbal products such as creams, lotions, chapstick?
What else can you share about gardening and the means in which it nurtures your soul?
Ok!
The neighbor that moved was using Diazinon, a product banned in the 70's.
I don't use those chemicals myself.
Thanks for the heads up! Same day Roundup was in the news, being sued!
Please stay away from Roundup. It’s horrible. Proven link to lymphoma. My BIL works for Monsanto (they are responsible for Roundup) and my MIL always used Roundup. She innocently thought it was a great product. She died from lymphoma.
The whole city stops if it snows here. We aren’t used to it and are terrible drivers in the snow, so everything shuts down and we go outside to marvel at the snow!
I did go to Colorado in the spring for our honeymoon (1978) (one week after ski season closed) and we got caught in a snow blizzard on our way to Vail!
I love the little yellow flowers, it looks nice.
On second thought, maybe avoiding anything alive is wiser, before they spray again.
You could do worse than sow some red clover. It's cheap, bees love it if it's allowed to flower, and it can just be ploughed in as green manure if the owners decide to get round to it.
(not that I recommend planting invasive species 🤣)
There is a vacant lot that needs greening up in my neighborhood.
My friend told me after spring, and around fall to cut back on the trees so they don't look so dwindley. She is right. Going to cut back more this next go around. I done planting, now I look for weeds, and when I see one on my way to car, I pull it. Its easier than trying to grab all of the at one time. Have a good day !
HAPPY SPRING TIME!!!
Anyway, yes gardening is a release for me. My neighborhood kids laugh, they know I call it something else, and they explain to their friends, who helped me; I call it burying plants. I give them a chance, and they can decide if they want to sprout or stay in the ground. Kids loved it! They asked where do you want this bulb? I replied: In the ground. Anywhere? Yes, anywhere, just bury it. It will come up if it wants to. I water on a regular basis, well not now, nature has decided to do this.Everything is popping up. I also go to the stores that will throw away old "dead" ones. I buy them on the cheap. One owner asked if I get anything. Yes I do, sometimes it's just dirt, and sometimes a plant will decide it gets another chance :) The kids love the fact there was no right or wrong in my yard, just dirt and plants. There is a kidergarten across street. Lil Lucy was crying as she was walking home with mom. The place is wonderful, and when the kids get acclimated to it, they don't want to leave. So I took her to a patch of flowers, her mom said no, the flower will die. Well, ya, eventually, so I took Lucy's lil hand and asked her which flower she wants. Thought for sure she would want the daffodil, but she picked this big orange flower, Her tears went away, and her frown went upside down, and was smiling and talking! Now that's the way to end the day!
Spring is coming for you, hang in there. Be ready for it, it will show up unexpectedly. :)
Planted some tulip bulbs, red dazzles, cannas, tangelo flowers, and transplanted a bunch of iris.
I LOVE flowers. :)
I definitely couldn't accomplish so much without his help, that is for sure.