The Unattended Garden

April 2020: I was busily dreaming of my first tomato as I built raised vegetable beds to join my asparagus, blueberries, and strawberries. 
March 2020: I told Mom if we were quartered for the pandemic, I would come and stay with her. 
March 12, 2020: I asked, "When should I come?" "Tomorrow," she said. I quickly packed a bag and planted my vegetable seeds in the dark before heading out for a "two-week stay." 
February 1, 2021: I had sold my house, and now Murry and I live with Mom & Annie. 

Maintaining a garden 30 minutes away in the growing season's height during a pandemic is no easy task. Solution: document "The Unattended Garden." My neighbors Harry & Joanne mowed the grass and watered the pot of caladiums (only when they got dramatic). The Holland family came and pulled out my veggies and mulched the beds, and I came over about every 3 weeks for an hour of speed weeding. That was all the attention the garden got. For me, this was a good lesson on why my favorite plants are my favorite; they are beautiful on their own! I hope you enjoy these pictures, and it inspires you to plant some of my favorites in your life.

February

I know, I know, this was before I left, but Winter Aconite (Eranthis) are just so wonderful! No muss, no fuss, just pure joy when you need them in late January -March. They spread like crazy from bulb and seed to form a blanket of yellow joy and then are gone by the time you are ready to mow. One of my absolute favorites! 

Image by jhenning from Pixabay

Feb. 14, 2020: A blanket of yellow in the back yard.

Even the faded leaves are a bit yellow and ready to mow. Oh so easy!

May

May 19, 2020

May 29, 2020

Hollands come, weeds go away and pottery appears!

Check out Amy Holland Pottery

Angelina Sedum & pinks (dianthus)

October Daphne Sedum

You can't go wrong with hostas or Siberian Kiwi bordering the window. Yum!

Cardoon getting its start behind lovey red dianthus.

General Wheeler Honeysuckle draws in hummingbirds.

Blue Spruce Sedum

This rose has two good flushes of bloom.

Baptisma

June

The pond was never much work thanks to the lily pads shading it and the filter in the water fall.

New comers - Stella and knockout lilies.

Larkspur, there is a bunny in every blossom and it spreads by seed.

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Larkspur and Rose Champion

Reliable purple clematis

Foxglove

Rose champion, with pink evening primrose in front, and Sambucus Black Night and climbing red rose in back.

You gotta have daisies!

Rose Champion blooming like. . . a champion! Hee, hee!

Orange echinacea

Ahhh allium.

Flowering hydrangea and Little Henry Spirea

Blue Niko Hydrangea

July

The side of the house lined with hosta and hydrangea, one of my favorite spots!

It is CARDOON! A show stopper, fun to say and edible.

Allium drumstick, yarrow, Calla lilies, crepe myrtle, euphorbia, and hydrangea are all going strong.

Hydrangea does great with neglect!

Bears britches, cardoon, corn flowers, lavender, holly tree and fire poker make a lush boarder.

Thread Leaf Coreopsis (tickseed) as a backdrop to ornamental oregano. Oregano needs a warm spot to winter over.

Caladiums planted in May and watered with a siphoning system on the front porch. What troopers!

Backdoor caladiums only watered by nature and Joanne when they were dramatic. One of my new favorites!

August

The begonias lining the walk were planted from a 4 pack in May and the Crepe Myrtle is coming into full bloom.