The other day I came across these photos of the Mama's front yard in 2010. Neat and proper, how the Mama loved her gardens and landscaping to be. A philosophy that differs from mine, which is essentially a higgledy-piggledy one, although you might say that there is order in chaos.
It has been almost two years since I've taken over the Mama's gardens and landscaping. Flowers have gotten out of hand. The canna lilies, for example, were winning in their plot to take over the front garden so I dug out most of the bulbs and transplanted many elsewhere last month. The Mama's rosemary bushes, on the other hand, are getting straggly in a way that I wonder if they may be on their last legs.
The Mama's roses got rather tall. Some nearly reached the roof. She deadheaded them, but after someone mentioned how tall the roses were, she was no longer interested in cutting them back. So I thought. Now I wonder if was because it was too difficult for her to prune them and she didn't want to ask me to do it for her. Here's a link to the story about the Mama and her tall roses.
At the end of December, I got brave and pruned the roses back. They're still on the tall side. Here's how the front and side gardens looked yesterday. Notice how full the bougainvillea and jade plants have gotten near the front door. I suppose I ought to trim them for easier access to the front step.
As some of you may know I've written previously about how the Mama loved having a lawn. Green and plush, which was difficult those last several years of her life because we were in a horrible drought. We were limited to our water use, so the Mama had to choose: the lawn or her vegetable and flower gardens. She settled for the Husband watering the lawn sparsely, but there was usually evidence that she had watered the lawn when we had gone off for the afternoon. Here's the Mama's lawn in 2010.
And, here's a picture of what the ever evolving landscape looked like last month. Higgidley-piggidley in a somewhat orderly way. The daisies, roses, geraniums, and most of the succulents were plants that the Mama kept in containers.
I like to think the Mama's spirit is pleased with the changes made to the once-upon-a-time lawn. What do you think?
I'm hooking up with Our World Tuesday. Here's the link for you to check out participants from around the world, and maybe to join up yourself. Thanks, Our World Tuesday hosts!
I think the entire thing is Marvelous and Full of Life!
ReplyDeleteI knew you would, G. :-)
DeleteHiggledy piggledy is good :) The first photo is nice but everything is too ordered and neat - the third photo though is lovely, everything blurring into everything else and again it reminds me very much of an English cottage garden :)
ReplyDeleteDid I tell you I always thought it would be fun to have something like an English cottage garden? I shall continue!
DeleteI like that last shot!
ReplyDeleteThe from-the-second-floor shot. I don't know what took me so long to take a picture from there.
DeleteYour current garden looks very lush and creative! neat photos!
ReplyDeleteHappy Week to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Thanks, Carol!
Delete...wow, yards in your neck of the woods are tiny!
ReplyDeleteYou should see the tiny yards of the houses that have gone up in the last several years.
DeleteIt looks nice. It's hard to garden here as the growing season is so short and the rain so unpredictable.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Al. Rain, the magic word. I'm hoping more is on the way.
DeleteObviously you and your Moma had gardening skills and slightly different tastes. My wife is a great gardener who gives it her all. Me, I mow the yard. I think that as our climate continues to change we might have to give up our lush yards. I have been mowing yards for over 50 years and I could stop any time.
ReplyDeleteThat's what the Husband said. No more pushing mowers for him. :-)
DeleteHa! Love your blog title.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sharon. The other day I was thinking of changing it.
DeleteI love what you have done with the front-wild and free. The picture of all the flowers and bushes reminds me of an English cottage
ReplyDeleteWild and free -- I love that. Also that it reminds you of an English cottage. That, too, is one of my favorite looks.
DeleteLawns are so labor intensive, and what do you get for it? Grass. Monoculture at its most devastating.
ReplyDeleteYour garden however, may indeed be as labor intensive, but look at how much life there is, and colour, and so many different plants. The insect life in your area will appreciative it as well, which in turn will draw birds, etc. All in all, a much more diverse and healthier ecosystem.
The bees definitely love the yard. Bzzzzzzz, bzzzzzzzz. Last year I saw a number of ladybugs. One of my goals is to put in plants that butterflies can nibble on as they pass through. I wouldn't mind planting some kind of native or meadow grass on the paths, as long as it can take care of itself.
DeleteA delightful tribute to your mama.
ReplyDeleteKay
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel