" . . . HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW ? "

A view from the upper balcony

  What  color is  your  thumb ? . . .  for  growing  flowers, fruit, and veggies?  Mine once was reasonably green, but years  of  disuse have likely wilted and discolored it. 

   At one time I had almost a passion for growing zinnias.  Had a sizable portion of the yard devoted to multiple colors and varieties. Even had a few rose bushes. When serving a United Methodist parish, I continued the practice.  I even branched out with sunflowers,marigolds, and cockscomb.  Results with the latter were mixed even though the areas were reasonably enhanced with "nature's fertilizer" provided by dairy and poultry farmers in the parish.  

    Once in the 1970's, the zinnia 'crop' was so abundant that I loaded a Radio Flyer wagon and urged my daughter to offer them for sale to neighbors to supplement her allowance.  She initially was resistant, thinking that I was having her do it for the family budget.

    Today I thought of 'green thumbs'  and landscaping after an area newspaper's insert yesterday featured several residential lawns and gardens.  Then today the publication was 'spotlighting' lush vegetation from other gardens.  In the former, there was a picture of a boyhood friend practicing his skills on his backyard putting green.

     Unlike me, my wife has a luxuriously verdant thumb and our yard reflects her talent. In addition to various Annuals and Perennials, over the years she has regularly added to the rows of daylilies and from late Spring there is an on-going competition with the deer as to who will enjoy them more.  A few years ago, she surrendered to the deer and removed several rose bushes that were regularly serving as Breakfast Buffet for the wildlife.

Survived the Deer

The only Roses are  now grown in a pot on upper balcony 

 Moreover, she regularly spots items that to me seem just curiosity pieces but with her eye for design and placement those are transformed into art.  Such as this angel:

     Or, this 'guard dog':

      Despite the gruesome face of this sentinel, the second sign really does reflect our sentiment:

      
     The overall effect is enhanced by the professional landscaping talents of our friend, Jim. 

Jim and a recent 'project'

    As well as the fence mural by son, Tommy. (See  earlier post:"Tommy saw(yer) fence").

Earlier this Summer during his "vacation", he worked several LONG days moving lilies, removing ivy, digging out wisteria roots, and assorted other tasks.

The work of yet another artist 

     Among the 'projects' she and Jim have designed and executed :

Meditation spot; Chair out of the view

Bridge and Gate to upper side yard. Note the different view below.

Gazebo

     To accentuate the current seasonal pleasure, here are a couple of views of the 'lawn and garden' from another season.  

              Vive the Summer !
      
                   Satchel