Starting Over

I guess it's fitting that this is a new year. I am starting a new chapter in my life, in a new city, a new home and a new garden. After 17 years of gardening on a small suburban lot, creating what I considered to be my garden sanctuary from the world, I've had to move away. So, I've said my sad goodbyes to all of the treasured plants I had, from the tiniest irish moss, to the huge Apricot tree in the front yard, removed all of the markers showing which tree was planted in memory of which loved one, packed up most of my garden art, furniture and tools, and moved to a semirural area of Plymouth on a fairly large lot. It wasn't possible to move any of my plants, nor did I want to destroy that beautiful garden, so all of my plants remained behind.

I'm renting, so gardening this year will be limited- most probably in containers, or around the deck area, but the lot I am on is very large, several times the size of the old one, although somewhat neglected aesthetically. In many ways it reminds me of what my old garden looked like 17 years ago- it had been a rental property too, and so no-one really cared if it looked nice. On nicer days, the dogs and I go a bit further out into the yard and have a look around- they for animals to sniff out, I for recognizable plants besides weeds. I think I recognize a few trees, bushes and plants that will be pretty in the spring, and I'm sure there are more things out there than I can see right now in the middle of winter. There's a forsythia next to the deck that will be lovely in a month or two, huge spruces and firs, overgrown yews, and a vine growing up the house by my door that I can't wait to see in bloom- could be a trumpet vine! When spring arrives, you can be sure that I will be out there poking around- rear towards the sun- seeing just what that is that is coming up!

There are beds to plant in along the driveway and between the brick pavers and driveway, plenty of places to set pots, and a nicely shaded deck off the back of the house. My impatiens and Phlox of Sheep will be very happy next summer, I think. I was able to fit my seed starting shelves down in the basement, and although it is fairly cold down there, I'm sure I can get some seeds started for a container garden next summer. I may even extend the gardening strip over around the forsythia and blue spruce a bit and plant a few things there too. Keep me in mind next spring as you divide some of your perennials- that's one of the things I love best about gardeners- we all know plants are meant to be shared, and so we are always generous with our gardens.

I will desperately miss my old garden- I still tear up whenever I think of it, so this is the hardest article I've ever written. I know many of you loved it too, and I'm very glad that so many of you got to visit it last year at it's peak summer beauty- it was glorious, and will forever be one of my most fond memories of times spent in it's quiet beauty.

Stay tuned though- future articles will reveal the starting point for a new garden, what is here, the way it looks now, and how it will be transformed by midsummer to once again be my sanctuary from the world.

See you in the Garden!

Ellen Leigh