Starting the Perennial Garden Off Right
I find seeds fascinating. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. I’ve heard that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains and that the mustard seed, the miniscule, tiny size of a seed that it is, can grow into a plant the size of a tree. The thought of it is just so awe inspiring.
I captured the essence of this bean seed as it emerged from the soil. It was a pink seed and you can still see the seed as it has split in half to allow the growing stem and leaf to emerge from the furrowed ground.
A gardener can spend a fortune on plants at garden centers and nurseries. We are compelled to add the latest and greatest hybridized annuals and perennials to our landscapes each Spring, as if participating in some yearly and tribal ritual, but I tell you the truth, there is much to be achieved in a garden that is accumulated over time with contributions from friends, neighbors, and family, especially elders.
Most of the perennials in my own garden came from my grandmother’s perennial landscape. When I was in my 20s and just moved into my residence, my grandmother allowed me to dig a few of her iris bulbs about seven colors in all, and to take cuttings from her Yellow Bell Forsythia, a white azalea, and a pink rambling rose. My new mother-in-law allowed me a division of Snow on The Mountain ground cover and evergreen Manhattan Euonymus. All but the azalea are still found in my perennial landscape today.
You will find most gardeners are eager to contribute to your new home with a gift that keeps giving for a lifetime, a cutting, a bulb, or split from one of their own perennial garden favorites. It cost them nothing but a little cultivation or digging, and it is a gift usually happily received. I most assuredly love these kinds of gifts more than other gifts, and they are unforgettable. I can remember the shared piece of someone’s garden more than any other gifts that I have received over the years. Try it for yourself. The next birthday, anniversary, or housewarming you attend, dig up something from your garden and give as a gift. It costs nothing but makes a most memorable impression.
