Wednesday, January 5, 2011

A New Season

I love getting my new garden catalogs in the mail, looking at all of the new selections and improved varieties of old favorites.  Every fall I look over my garden and decide what will need to be divided, what will need to be moved due to possibly a change in light because of trees either growing or having limbs removed. 

I like to have large swaths of plants that make a statement in my gardens, rather than a single plant of many different species.  I also feel that it is important to have something always blooming or of interest in every season.  I want my color selections to blend to create a more pleasing view.  I also want to have it look good from all angles, as my gardens are seen from the street, inside the house, and walking along the paths.

Therefore, it is important to have the structure of small trees and shrubs in my beds.
I like perennials, since they are less costly in the long run, reproduce, and once established, usually need less care and watering than annuals do.  However, I always include some annuals for continuous bloom throughout the season.

Getting the catalogs in the mail shows me new options, maybe new color selections of old favorites, and also maybe a new size than some of the older plants.  I find that all gardens are ever evolving, and that is part of the fun.  I find great pleasure in trading plants with friends.  It adds memories to a garden.
"In solitude we give passionate attention to our lives, to our memories, to the details around us." Virginia Woolf



So, stoke up the fireplace, gather the catalogs and dream & plan your new season!

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