Sunday, November 15, 2009

BECAUSE YOU ASKED. OR MAYBE YOU DIDN'T BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU

I'd like to use the excuse that because I've been so incredibly busy with fall gardening chores and/or recovering from them, that I haven't been able to properly thank Cynthia for her surprise of bloggy kindness.
But that wouldn't be honest... and well somehow , you know, doesn't quite fit it with the whole Honest theme.

I will say that I'm constantly amazed and thrilled and sleep deprived as I discover or am directed to the vast and diverse and life changing blogs.

So , truthfully, I'm a little behind in some things.

Cynthia's blog , Running With Letters is inspiring. She covers such a variety of valuable topics, her pictures are great, she's an author, and she just overall oozes friendly. A beautiful person to make a connection with. Thank you for reaching out to me.


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10 Things I Honestly Don't Like About Gardens

1. Hosta plantings in a circle around a tree. Especially when all of the same type and colour and circling a columnar tree. Kind of like a collar . Or bracelet. Poor trying to be grand and magnificent tree.

2. Daylilies . Sorry. The blooms are astonishingly beautiful, almost tropical, and the colours range from the softest brush against your senses, to the deepest how does Nature do that. But in tiny suburban, not grown for swathes or for cuttings, this is all I've got for the length of the driveway, under the windows - I've fallen into the dark side of the relationship. Too much foliage for too little impact and contribution to the average landscaped property. And the clean up of the mush. Yuck. This especially goes for the over sold Stella d'Oro.

3. Tea roses in the front yard.

4. Umbrella trees. Upside down greenery that people plant where the walkway to the front door meets the driveway. For a focal point. And so they can trim and prune and feel very old English gardener like . I guess.

5. Boxwood hedges. Oh , I've got one. And there is nothing that comes close to their texture, hardiness, all purpose formal yet practical planting uses. But after a season of hand trimming ... we need a little space from each other.

6. Bees. They are invaluable. But they sting. As do yellow jackets, and wasps and whatever else might be trying to enjoy the Salvia while I'm trying to deadhead it. Just sayin'

7. Heavy Metal music and leaf blowers. The kind of noise that assaults and renders it almost impossible to get into a zen like state while weeding. Right there as loud and constant and grating from the property next door. Sometimes in surround sound like dueling Nine Inch Nails on a chalkboard.

8. Blue Jays. I so appreciate chickadees, cardinals, and finch. A woodpecker or two, turtle doves, and sea gulls. Geese, crows. You chatter and banter and beckon and rejoice. But Mr. ( or Mrs. ) Blue Jay ; I don't know where your attitude comes from, and for the most part I'm nowhere near the deeper forest sections of your space. Why do you yell at me. Is it because you think I should be home reading, or sipping iced tea by the pool and you've decided to stage a little intervention?

9. Rain soaked leaf bags. That are of course filled with all manner of twigs, and cuttings, and slime, and rotting stems and fly away pods and garlic smelling weeds, and muddy roots and thorny canes. That were heavy to drag and heave and hoist and pull into the homeowners chosen waiting spot for pick up day. That apparently they forgot about. So when you try to move them to make room for the 4 or 8 or 15 other , you now have to go your car and get the shovel if you remembered it. To heave and scoop and re-bag and rake and sweep and remember to smile at the Mail Carrier who passes by shouting out how isn't it just the most fabulous day!

10. Fences. Because there are so many days that I just want to wander and meander and be awestruck and inspired and awakened to the very me of myself. That works in a very orderly and plotted out manner, wondering what it would be like to just keep going deeper and deeper into the beyond.


No offense meant by any of these opinions, especially given the fact that I will no doubt change my mind and that I am referring mostly to the gardens in my area, in my particular zone. And you should know that our first house was over planted and all wrong , what with way too many trees lovingly tucked in with rings of hosta.



And I will pass this award on through email.





12 comments:

  1. Deb, you are too kind! Thanks so much for the shout out. I enjoyed reading your comments over at my place today. I am getting quite behind myself--blogging can be so time consuming!

    Couldn't agree more about the leaf blowers and the rain soaked leaf bags, btw--no fun at all!!

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  2. Hi Deb - excellent news about the Blogsplash - if you could email me at fiona@fionarobyn.com that'd be fab.

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  3. Congrats on the Award, much deserved! We've gotten away from using Hostas and have shifted to different ornamental grasses. I like their qualities so much better than the hosta.

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  4. This is so hysterically funny! We own a nursery although, I don't work with my husband there. I have the black thumb in the family and this just makes me laugh!
    Heather

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  5. Heather ~ I worked at a nursery/greenhouse retail place for awhile. I think some of my cynical or snobby gardening thoughts stem from seeing the same stuff over and over.
    I am looking forward to getting to "know" you more, black thumb and all :)

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  6. Thank you SO MUCH for visiting me at Imparting Grace!

    You know, I'm not a JIm Carrey fan, either. I was telling a friend about this movie, and he said, "Does Jim Carrey ruin it by being Jim Carrey?" Seems that we all feel the same way!

    But I think he's found his role. He does the voice of Scrooge and of all the ghosts. Perhaps being the ghosts gives him the outlet he needs to be outrageous, so that he does a great job of being Scrooge. In any event, I think this version is really something. I expected to be underwhelmed, but I found myself really touched by this. Maybe it's just me, but I think it's a worthwhile movie. And the story. Oh, my goodness--that story is fresh every time.

    Have a great week!

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  7. Hello! Thanks for visiting my blog yesterday! I hope you'll come back to see me again sometime!

    I know what you mean about Blue Jays and their attitudes! I've seen a Blue Jay pick a fight with a squirrel! And win!

    Have a great rest of the day! :]

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  8. And deer LOVE daylillies, another reason not to plant in wilder areas.

    I have one to add--planting exotics when a native species would work and thrive with less effort and create more habitat for birds and butterflies and bees (sorry, but they need all the help they can get).

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  9. Kathleen ~ agree. I 've been guilty of course of choosing esthetics over sustainability. There is a good move here to using natives, promoted in the nurseries and parks. From my short experience at the retail greenhouse, it seemed some younger homeowners are keenly aware and interested in this. The average middle aged , not at all, the older gardeners, very much so.

    Chrissy ~ Thank you, and I will.

    Richella ~ I'm looking forward to seeing this now. Does this mean I'll cry. Not that it takes much :)

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  10. Lol! I love your, but perhaps that's because I share many of the same. Lilies for all their beauty when blooming really are just annoying the rest of the time. I guess that's why my lily garden no longer exists -- that and the fact that the irises (another annoyingly ugly plant when not in bloom)all got a really bad case of iris borer. Talk about disgusting!! Anyway, just my opinion :0)!

    Blessings!
    Deborah

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  11. You are so right about trimming Boxwood hedges. The last house had them and I swore never again. They are the most exhausting plant I've ever had!

    My garden experience is limited but this is a terrific post. Thanks.

    jj

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  12. Congrats on your award.
    I'm with you on most of these. And blue jays are just downright mean!

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