Back to Business!

Well now that my mind is eased of any pressing health issue, my brain is once again abuzz with it's latest obsession. The garden!! When I went Wal-Mart to buy all my 'rear end roto-rooter' supplies I picked up extra seed flats to start thinning out my seedlings and more seeds to start....I am determined to have a blooming blossoming front porch!! And I am convinced that any day now I will be back to feeling normal so I need to prepare!

We have a new home this year and a HUGE front porch. Here is a pic of about 3/4 of the length (total 76 ft). (it was still under construction here, there are now rails on the stairs etc..) Someday it will be white washed but we need to let the wood 'weather' for a year. Anyhoo, my plan is for this to be bursting with color from hanging pots, pots on the steps, and maybe even saddle planters on the railings. I have some old decrepit wooden chairs that I am using to hold flower pots as well and an old large crock that the bottom broke out of that is being used as a planter as well. Eventually I will erect the hand water pump that was kept from the original homestead on this property and put washtubs around it with flowers blooming from it as well. There are roses on the east end (this pic is facing the west), and I have planted several varieties of evergreen shrubs along the front. Since the shrubs are still quite tiny I am going to plant several caladiums in between them so that there will be some foliage this summer. We have yet to cover the bottom of the porch, and I suspect it will be a while before DH gets around to that.....ever the procrastinator. Hopefully the Caladium will help hide some of that.

My back yard is full of new tree saplings that I am hoping will grow and grow and grow this summer. I think I planted 15 new trees. I am still hoping to talk DH into letting me plants some weeping willows. They would be so gorgeous near the pond! (see my default pic, that is my view looking east) But he is not thrilled about the prospect of mowing around them when they are big...I have promised to keep them trimmed, but I think he knows that secretly I am crossing my fingers because I love the way a weeping willow looks as it's branches are kissing the ground and blowing in the wind.

The only thing that would completely fulfill my dream garden this year is one of this miniature weeping cherry trees to plant in front of the porch...but they are so damn expensive. I have seriously considered trying to start them from seed and if they are a success, selling the saplings I don't want....but I may wait until next year to tackle that. I get a little overzealous sometimes...ok almost all the time....

Let's hope this Garden Plan is still in full fruition by fall and not overrun with dead plants and scraggly weeds.