I Want a Spring Flower on My Front Page
While Joe prepares the vegetable beds, tilling in manure, I’m busy raking out my flower gardens, shamed to do so by the crocus blossoms peeking through last fall’s dropped leaves.
When it comes to our garden, Joe’s better at starting it. I’m good with the follow through, the planting and tending. My garden focus starts to fizzle by harvest time, about the same time I lose control of the weeds. But I hate wasting food, so I push myself through the harvest season (doing a little everyday for weeks), and I’m always glad when I do.
This year I’ve been inspired to break through my gardening inertia by Michelle Obama, who broke ground on the Spring Equinox for the first White House garden since FDR’s presidency.
Yesterday I interviewed my friend Tenley Weaver – a certified organic market gardener who co-owns a local food distribution business “Good Food for Good People” – for a story I’m writing. She ended the interview by saying, “This is the year of the garden.”
Today I got a phone call from my friend John, a Wall Residence foster care resident who sometimes spends weekends here. John was planning for a visit and wanted to know if any spinach had come up in my garden yet.
Between Michelle, Tenely, and John I’m starting to feel inspired, and in good company.
P. S. Thanks, Joe.
March 24th, 2009 12:13 am
we are just beginning to clean up winter’ debris, prune back some of the shrubs and low hanging evergreen limbs, clean out the dead bearded iris leaves, weed a bit, and make the gardens more presentable as winter departs and spring arrives. because sunshine is still so limited in the seattle area we don’t have enough hours to do it all, but this weekend we got a good start. wish we had more daylight hours/sunshine here for a more productive veggie garden in summmer. by the time it gets pretty hot here summer will be gone in 3 or 4 weeks!
March 24th, 2009 1:55 am
I planted my daffodils too late but I think they might be barely sticking up out of the mulch today. I am seriously considering some raised beds for a small vegetable garden in a back corner of the lot. If nothing else, the birds and squirrels can eat well. The soil over in western VA is a lot better than here… here, there is so much clay…dark and black and dense. But with the raised bed.. perhaps!
March 24th, 2009 5:30 am
That is a beautiful crocus and a lovely wake up call for the garden. Good luck! I think this will be the year of the garden for us, too.
March 24th, 2009 7:47 am
I have crocuses too, but not as pretty as this one.
I always remember when you had asparagus in your garden. We picked it, cooked it, buttered it, and ate it. It was better than lobster. xo
March 24th, 2009 8:04 am
We have started a number of cold weather crops early and probably will be harvesting Pak Choi next week for a stir fry when my brother and sister visit. I planted a bunch of flower seeds into the peat pots yesterday and hope to see spring sprouts of those in a few days! I am an eager beaver and cannot wait to plant seeds outside.
March 24th, 2009 8:26 am
Yes, isn’t it wonderful that M.O. has started a “national” garden…inspiring and symbolic!
March 24th, 2009 8:37 am
We have poor soil here as well. It’s red clay and rocky. We have to dump a ton of manure on it every year and are beds are raised.
Yesterday I checked to see if I could see any asparagus heads. None yet but it won’t be long.
Michelle’s gardening at the White House is such an inspiration! I haven’t felt this good about the White House since Carter put up solar panels, which Reagan promptly took down.
Joe got a cold frame ready for me and one remay hoop row, so I have no excuse now.
March 24th, 2009 8:47 am
One of the reasons I fall deeper in love with my husband each year is the fact that he has green thumbs. He grows me a garden of vegetables that I can pick to make salad every night. And, the flowers….oooooh, the beautiful flowers. It is such a delight to see what he will plant each year.
March 24th, 2009 8:51 am
I feel that way when Joe hunts and brings me home clean venison for the freezer.
March 24th, 2009 9:28 am
I want a “Joe” but I’m sure the exercise is good for me. My 90 year old mother removed a worn out rose garden and is planting a “victory” vegetable garden in her yard near the street. “Setting a good example” she says. She’s always has lots of veggies and herbs in her various beds but she wants to make it obvious for people who don’t know how to garden. Sounds like senior service. I’ve not seen any asparagus yet but the rhubarb is unfurling.
March 24th, 2009 10:42 am
that is a beautiful flower shot 🙂 I’m thinking I’ll do a herb garden this year…depending on where I end up living!
March 24th, 2009 3:23 pm
Now that I am an apartment resident I don’t have the space for a garden…I am going to miss having my own food and will end up at the farmer’s market a lot!
March 24th, 2009 7:14 pm
not a garden there since JFK. How odd.
I go weak-weed myself. Everything flourishing is good. So what if its ragweed. It’s purty and green. At least in a high rise we don’t get deer and raccoons to help out. Doubt there are any that rappel from balcony to balcony…
March 24th, 2009 7:20 pm
FDR! That’s even longer. Eleanore planted it as a Victory Garden during WWII.
March 25th, 2009 12:02 am
I love Tenley’s prediction. And to help lend credibility to her statement, next week my wife and I will be moving onto our property in Check, and then immediately begin planting our garden(s).
March 30th, 2009 1:58 am
I love the crocus picture and I also was inspired by Michelle and the garden at the White House. We are just watching the last of the snow melt, but the gardens are coming to life. I agree also that it is the year to garden. We always grow way too much, but it can be shared.