Gardens Loved and Lost

We found out a just a few days ago that our landlord is selling this house and we need to find another one to call home. I told a dear friend about it and her response was “How many gardens have you given up?” Okay, let’s see…51 moves minus 21 made as a child= 30 moves minus 12 moves to places without an opportunity to garden (apartments, motor home parks, a relative’s home)= 18. Let’s round down for the sake of accuracy and say 15. I recall one apartment that had an atrium and a patch of grass in the back that I planted and trimmed with scissors…yes, scissors. However, there were also a couple of homes we lived in that had flower beds I merely maintained because my time and funds were so limited. So…we’ll say that I’ve loved and lost fifteen gardens.

I suppose for people who have lived a more permanent lifestyle that seems heartbreaking. Their gardens are like members of the family. When we bought our first home the sellers insisted that the removal of all of their rose bushes be written into the sales contract. I found it ironic that one of them later sprouted from roots left behind.  I remember my long-time neighbor, Eula, telling me that she had planted the tree in our front yard fifty years prior to our enjoyment of its shade. Many of my friends can point to similar plants and trees in their own yards. And they can’t imagine starting over with another bare patch of ground.

My childhood memories are filled with images of my mother and her flowers. No matter where we lived or how often we moved, she tried to create a little bright spot of blossoms. Once we lived in a condemned house that Dad managed to repair enough to be livable and Mom planted verbena next to the front steps. Dad always grew as much of our food as he could. So gardening was always a part of our lifestyle. Move…create the best environment you can…enjoy it while you are there…repeat as necessary.

I’ve lived that lifestyle all of my adult life. The second home we purchased was brand new and had a dirt yard. We barely had any money left for landscaping and I had a new baby to care for, so my “garden” was a few beans and one flowerbed. When we moved to Iowa I was lucky to keep a couple of flowers alive because I knew so little about the local weather. Gary’s cousin instructed me in planting a spring vegetable garden, but alas, we didn’t stay long enough to plant one.  

Several homes and gardens occupied our years in California, but my “glory days” in the garden were definitely those spent at Liberty Hill near my grandparents’ old homestead here in Oklahoma. There I gardened for thirteen years, and usually spent at least an hour or two per day caring for my yard. It was featured in the newspaper and in a seed catalog. I received a “natural habitat” certificate for its bird-friendly features. Leaving it was like parting with an old friend, but God provided me with a new one. Those of you who have known me for years know that our next move was to the lovely house beside the pond. I thoroughly enjoyed gardening there for seven years, and it was difficult to leave it and move here to town. Now here we are, two years after creating this garden, already facing another move.

Of course I should also mention that in leaving each garden I’ve also left some problems behind. Each plot of ground has had challenges that frustrated and annoyed me. The Liberty Hill property was plagued by poison ivy and rocks. In some areas the soil was literally less than a foot deep. The lovely garden overlooking the pond had snakes and rabbits. Rabbits can destroy a new plant overnight if they decide it is tasty! This yard is riddled with mole tunnels. It has huge trees that drop leaves, needles, gum balls, and limbs.  With each new yard there is always the thought that the challenges will at least be different ones.

I am not without feelings, and as I said, leaving some of my old gardens was difficult. Some of my plants do travel with me- daylilies, Grandmother’s iris, a potted rose bush, some bulbs that transplant well. I admit that they give me a sense of security and continuation. However, I still maintain that the experience of gardening motivates me far more than the product I’m creating. Most older gardeners will tell you that being outside is essential to their mental and physical health. It certainly keeps me healthier.

Gary commented yesterday that perhaps at the next house we should do less gardening. Perhaps. I’ll let the property and the owner be my guide. However, I know one thing for sure. I’ll be outside for at least a few minutes each day and there will be a bright spot of blossoms somewhere.

Comments

[Megan]

So positive!