Thinnings

My Mother-in-law is an avid gardener/landscaper. She doesn't plant vegetables, but specializes in perennials. She has a plant fettish-but not just flowers, ornamental grasses and plants as well. I never appreciated ornamental plants until I saw the magic she created with them.

Really, she could be in Better Homes and Gardens.

After many years of tending and planting, her perennials are so prolific, she has to thin and discard perfectly wonderful plants! For shame!

At a time when our garden fund was exhausted just by edible veggie seeds and such, and I was mourning the fact that I couldn't "pretty" up the place with perennials, she came along with a cardboard box and clumps of dirt.

And she has kept coming!


~peony stalks~

She has brought me peonies, clematis, phlox, sedum, lilies, lily of the valley, hosta, an outhouse plant and bee balm.

~some mint in my mint wheel~

That is A LOT of goodness! For FREE!

I am so thrilled with her kindness and enjoy daily walks around the yard to see the progress. Those shared gems, coupled with the delphinium, hydrangea and snowball bush planted in celebration of our move last year (yes! they are coming back despite the deers mutilation in the fall!) and the few surprise daffodils here and there and the incredible lilac bushes and blossoming apple tree and grapevines shared have added such beauty and excitement to my life.

~just a weed~

I really believe if anyone is in need of a pick-me-up, or something to give them a bit of joy each day, they ought to plant something. ANYTHING. It doesn't have to be fancy, it doesn't have to be MANY. Just one plant of something you like is sufficient.

But it really is like a medicine.

Well, at least for me.

~moon blossoms~