Day 45
“Hello, my name is Kerry and I haven’t been in a big box home improvement store in 46 days.”
Psst: This is where you say, “HELLLLO, KERRY”.
Or at least that is how it goes on TV, I’ve never actually been to any 12-step meeting (not that I couldn’t have used it at various stages in my life).
It is an annual rite of spring, the suburbanites Saturday morning pilgrimage to Home Depot to buy flats of colorful annuals and impulse items like new gardening gloves and hummingbird feeders. To me, there is nothing more satisfying than the instant gratification of planting dozens of already blooming petunias and snapdragons.
But this year, I have to duck my head and rush through the front door of our local grocery store so that I don’t make eye contact with all of the gorgeous baskets of floral finery. So far, I have actually had a harder time not buying those kind of things than anything else.
I did anticipate this problem and several weeks ago the kids and I planted some seed packets. We have zinnias, cosmos and bok choy in our flower beds (I was limited to what I had on hand). But it is so hard to have this:
And this:
When you really are used to this:
The entrance to our local grocery store
Patience–that is another lesson for this year. Eventually these little seedling will be spectacular, maybe not as fast as I would like, but it will happen. (I’ll keep you posted) And to be perfectly honest, we do have lovely perennials in our yard like this.
Yet I STILL have to resist the urge not to snatch and grab my neighbor’s flower boxes.
Get those orphan seedlings before someone else does…
Kerry, I recently found your blog and love it! I’ve been going through your prior posts. I was already wondering how you would handle this issue of landscaping/flowers/plants. I am curious where herbs would fall in this case? Would they be OK to buy already grown because they are consumables, i.e. food?
Hi Heather- Well, I have some growing herbs that were given to me recently by a friend (I think they were splits). But, I probably wouldn’t buy the potted plants on my own (although keep in mind, I’m just making this up as I go along). Also, I have been making it known that I would LOVE to have splits from people as we get near the Fall, when I think that is supposed to be done.
I know this blog post is older, but for those of you reading (like me) when you find this gem years down the road, here is some advice.
Don’t be afraid to ask neighbors (especially the little, old lady with the amazing flower beds) if they would share some of their perennials when it’s time to divide them in exchange for you helping to do the digging. Gardeners love to share the joy!!! And seed-saving for year after year is something to keep in mind as well. Do a quick search on how to save seeds properly (temp, container, etc.)