What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow. ~ Martin Luther

Wednesday, June 06, 2012

A Flower Circle

Eight months ago, when we moved to our new home, I was bound and determined to bring my perennials with me.  I knew it was crazy, knowing how much I had to do (and flowers didn't even come close to making the list.)  But I did it anyway, crazy me.  I couldn't believe how big an idiot I was back then-but (famous last words:) I couldn't help myself.

At the time, since I had no time to plan landscaping or time to dawdle from one spot to the next, I just threw perennials in freshly dug holes all in the same area, forming a weird, awkward circle right smack dab in the middle of the front yard.  (It was the best I could do.)

Now, eight months later as I watch perennials bursting and blooming and a flower circle begin to form, I couldn't be more thankful to the stubborn Rebecca of that day.  And though they were just thrown in, I think they look *mighty* nice.  It makes a great spot to spread a picnic blanket and do our thing.

I have been adding things right along to my circle garden too. Thanks to a few yard sales, a church who had thinned plants for sale and a mighty generous neighbor who has overwhelmed me with kindness in the form of leaves and dirt (they might not be nice THIS year but oh, they will be GRAND next!), I haven't spent
more than $15.00 on adding over 20 different perennials!

Vegetable gardening is, in my mind, a whole lot of work!  It is rewarding in its time, but I do it because I must.  Flower gardening, on the other hand, is a whole lot of play.  It is my pleasure, pure and simple.

What to see it? 

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

Alrighty then.  Keep in mind of course, it is a work in progress.  And also that this is its early debut.  There is plenty more color to come through the summer!











This is the view from the road and driveway.  


I brought one clump of these beauties and split them up into several clumps last October.  So glad I did.  It is lovely to see purple everywhere!


This is the view from the front porch.  The only thing here when we moved in was the rose bush (at 7:00) and the lilac bushes in the background (that, by the way, never BLOOMED this year.  Talk about a bummer.)

Told you about the irises!  Also-plenty of calendula.  You knew I had to, right?
 


The children know exactly where the stevia plants are and it will be a challenge keeping them healthy all summer with so many little hands constantly snitching leaves.  Poor things.  (The leaves, not the children.)


zinnias and cosmos I started from seed.  More calendula too.  Sundrops and a teeny sprig of evening primrose.In the dirt behind that I planted some Blue Flax seeds.  I do hope they come up!

Between the lilacs and the road were some misfit rose bushes and a peony.  It was like finding buried treasure, the day I discovered them!

And the roses smell DIVINE!


The rose bush (at 12:00) is the one thing that was in the yard.  It is in dire need of a pruning.  Peonies, irises, calendula, astilbe, and a hydrangea are in this wonky bed.

Cosmos (started from seed), irises, outhouse bush and salvia in this little spot.

oh yeah-and moss rose too!)


Those are the things blooming these days.  Plenty more to come!

I have been surrounding the plants with cardboard (to kill the grass and weeds around it), topping it with wood chips and edging it with stone (that came up with the shovel.)  I bought a few bags of mulch and then realized there was no way I was going to be able to spend buy enough mulch to do the job right.  About that time the phone company came through and cut down stray branches near telephone lines and threw the chips in piles along the side of the road.  Whenever I get a chance, I go and get wagonfuls of it. 


Obviously, I have quite a few more trips to make.  And eventually, all these tiny beds will connect into one lovely flower circle.  But if there is one thing I have to learn....it is patience. 

And all of these things will take time...

9 comments:

Marlene Bibby said...

I think it looks absolutely beautiful already. I can see the plan, and I bet is is so fun to picnic inside the circle. Enjoy! You are just like your mother with a love for flowers.

stephaniegiese said...

Your property looks gorgeous! Funny, I have the exact opposite view of gardening. I enjoy veggie gardening so much more because I feel like the work is somehow more worth it if we get to eat the results. Your pictures are beautiful and I bet it smells amazing!

Bonnie said...

Love it!
And I know the outhouse bush has another name that is escaping me. Do you remember what it is?

That same type of rose-bush is growing at my parents, and while I don't remember what the name is, I looked it up once and it is highly valued for it's scent.

Perennials and herbs are my goals for this year, and fruit is my goal for next. We shall see.

Bonnie said...

Love it!
And I know the outhouse bush has another name that is escaping me. Do you remember what it is?

That same type of rose-bush is growing at my parents, and while I don't remember what the name is, I looked it up once and it is highly valued for it's scent.

Perennials and herbs are my goals for this year, and fruit is my goal for next. We shall see.

Rosemary said...

The flowers are lovely, Rebecca! I love the circle and the fact you can view it from your porch. The two trellis look pretty.

I was thinking you picnic inside a fairy ring, only made up of flowers instead of mushrooms.
Rosemary

Unknown said...

I LOVE IT! I agree that flower gardening is the best! I have a beautiful clematis that I splurged on 4 years ago...it is just now really starting to take off. I have such a hard time starting flowers from seed. What do you do? Do you fertilize or what? :)

Regina said...

I love it too, Rebecca! I'm getting ready to redo, split and replant some perennials here too. We have a sidewalk going in and need more top soil for the flower bed beside it. :) All in good time. ;)

Anonymous said...

So very lovely Rebecca....like you, we've moved a lot (3 times the past 3 1/2 years) and I plant and move, plant and move. I hope when we find a place in the country that there will be someone who lived there with a love of flowers and fruit trees/bushes, and I can move in and enjoy some things already established and then add to it. I sure miss my tiger lilys and roses.
You've done a lot in a short time...look's great!

Blessings to you,
Janet

Cathy said...

That is a lovely start. I can see in my minds eye how full and beautiful it will be in years to come. It will be well worth the effort and the wait!