As a brand new gardener, it can be a real challenge trying to figure out just what to put in the ground, which makes walking into a garden center both an awe-inspiring and overwhelming experience.
I had already identified my zone and figured out how much sun/shade I had in both front and back gardens. I also knew that really I wanted to put some perennials in, with only a small patch for annuals. Annuals are easy, because you can change your mind year after year, and throw a few containers in to shake things up. Perennials however, are a commitment.
Speaking of commitment ...as I stood in Vandermere's Garden Center, staring at row after row of plants not yet in bloom, trying to figure out what I wanted to devote my years to, it struck me that planting these perennials could be symbolic of another commitment I had just made months before. I would plant my wedding flowers -hydrangeas!
I picked up one Niko Blue and one Masja for the backyard and then two more Niko Blues for the front. And as I put each one into the ground, I said a little prayer over them, acknowledging that they were a symbol of my marriage and that I would nurture them for years to come. I would delight in them in good weather and keep them safe through storms. I would fight to keep them healthy even during the coldest winter storms, knowing all the while that they will be better for it come springtime.The fact that Niko Blue hydrangeas bloom out of old wood from the previous year is so wonderfully poetic. It's like a symbol of hope and of promise.
I would suggest to any new bride and homeowner that planting the flowers used in your wedding (if possible in your zone) can become more than just a gardening experience, but something beautiful that can be shared with generations to come.
*Yep, that's one of my Niko Blue hydrangeas. The lack of acidity in my soil has resulted in what looks more like Niko pink. LOL. I may play around with the soil composition in the backyard next year to try and get that Niiko to turn blue.
Your hydrangeas are beautiful and I am in shock at the devotion and time you spend in your garden.I couldn't get you to lift a finger when I needed help with the gardening in California. Your famous excuse,"Outside makes me itch or You know I am afraid of bees" I am proud of you and the number of good changes I see in your life.GOD IS GOOD!!!!Continue the good work.
ReplyDeleteThanks mom. People like flowers will grow and bloom with enough nurturing and care. What I now do in my garden and in my home is a direct result of the care and nurturing you provided in my childhood.
ReplyDelete