My Little Garden: The Next Chapter...

First off tonight, we have only pics from my Blackberry. My camera seems to be elsewhere. Where might be anyone's guess, but it's not HERE and if I wait until I find it, we may not get to a post for some time. So we'll make do.

Every year about this time I get the urge to, you know, Garden. Buy plants, make the Spooky House Gardens a thing of beauty and wonder. (Generally I achieve the "wonder") I don't have a lot of time tho, and I think I lack vision, an idea of what it wants to look like. Or knowledge of what should go where and be planted how, to get whatever it is I am trying to achieve.

Things get planted everywhere, around a general idea of "Sure do like purple"

But every year I try. Which is the point.

In one sense, I got lucky this year. One of my Derby sisters has a greenhouse, a proper one where they sell, you know, plants. In another sense: not so lucky. In a regular sort of year, I would go to the store, buy the things and they would thrive or not, but I wouldn't be seeing the person who sold them to me four times a week, nor, I am sure, would they much care about my success or failure. Business transaction, pure and simple.

Not so much this year.

This women KNOWS her plants. I don't mean just what Sort of plant they are, or their names, both proper and common, or what they need in terms of care (tho she DOES, trust me) But, each single plant. Each pot and arrangement, because she made them. Grew them. From babies. And now I am responsible for them. They'll need the right light, they'll need to be, um, WATERED. Regularly, apparently.

It's like adopting a pet. Or buying someone's art. (tho with art, once you've had it framed, and if you can manage a hook and a hammer and hang it on the wall, you're generally pretty safe)

I want to do right by them.

I listened very carefully when she explained what I need to do, and in the lucky column, I can call her if things get BAD, and she'll come over and help me out. It's too cold for them to be outside right now (Listen to me, sounds just like I am now an expert, doesn't it?) so I brought them into the kitchen, which now smells wonderful. I watched the Bengals closely for a while, to see if anyone felt like doing some snacking. I asked everyone if they wanted a drink. (The plants, not the Bengals. Or me.)

I'll check on them before I go to bed. And in the morning, we'll have coffee. I can sing to them. I will buy a misting bottle and give them a light mist if their leaves curl. I will give them names, and get excited for them when they grow a new leaf, or make a flower. I may well takes pics and carry them in my wallet. I will certainly give you regular updates throughout the summer.

It might work out this year. It could happen.

Slammer, we've been home for an hour now, and everyone seems just fine. I'll call you in the morning and let you know how the night went.

Love and Gardens,
Lorraine