Two Cents Worth
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As I sit here writing this the wind is gusting ferociously.
Just talked to a friend out Langton way and they are without hydro and experiencing high winds but no rain. Lots of scary stuff going on all around us but so far the worst of it has missed us. Lots of little branches down but that is about it.
For the most part the day was glorious, sunny with a delightful breeze. Spent most of the day wandering through gardening centres at Port Stanley, St. Thomas and Aylmer. We stopped midday for a beautiful lunch at Pinecroft.
Such a lovely day spent with friends. Mae and Joan are avid gardeners and have been inspiring me for years but I just don’t have it in me. They love to be out early in the morning and can spend all day digging in the dirt. I tried for years to cultivate that passion in me but have accepted the reality that I must have been sleeping when that gene was handed out. Now that I am a grown up I can say I don’t enjoy it, it’s too much work and I don’t want to do it.
I appreciate spending time in both their gardens and loved wandering all the nurseries with them. They have both tried to instill that desire in me but although they have been very patient with me, I have disappointed them many times.
One of the centres we visited was designed for water gardens. Interesting and beautiful but am not going to get into ponds, fish and aquatic plants.
I want easy and stuff that comes back without my help so I have decided I will plant hostas that will take up the spaces that otherwise fill up with weeds. I was told there would be hostas to share for free if I get my ground worked up and ready. I realized, unless I put some effort into providing the right environment for the offered plants, I didn’t deserve them and wouldn’t be getting them. Well, that’s pretty motivational, isn’t it? Got my work cut out for me.
We visited a hosta centre and while meandering along the pathways throughout the property I marveled at how many varieties there are all with intriguing names. There was Gunsmoke, Empress Wu, Blue Bunting, Clear Pork River Valley, Big Daddy, Blueberry Waffles, Cheating Heart, Corn Muffin, Whee, Blazing Saddles. There is often no rhyme or reason for the names but they are interesting. And they come in a variety of greens, blues, yellows, variegated, smooth leaf and crinkly or curly leaf. They come in all sizes with some reaching heights of four feet. I figure they will fill up empty spaced quite nicely.
But first I will follow the instructions and get my ground dug up, roots removed, sheep manure worked in and all that work stuff so I will be ready when the shared varieties can be planted. It will be worth the effort I am sure and hopefully the hostas will do their thing and solve my garden issues.