To the left of me I have this: a creative display of whimsical colour, variety of shape and form, and artfully placed borders surrounding bright, vivid greenery.
To the right, is this: a zen-inspired vista of tranquility. Polished stones, calm mossy greens with bursts of energizing purple blooms, the perfect balance of light and dark – if I didn’t know otherwise, I could be in the contemporary courtyard of a modern boutique hotel. I derive so much joy from this garden every single time I walk out of my home.
Ahh yes, now we have my house. The same house where you will often find a plastic bag stuck to a tree branch. A lawn so sad that it’s mottled surface could bring you to tears. Overgrown shrubs, weeds galore – that’s us.
We are not gardeners. Our thumbs are not green. In fact, they are not even the slightest bit chartreuse.
Every year, I go through the motions of buying some containers and baskets and slowly watching them die over the course of the summer. I want so desperately to contribute to the leafy beauty of our cul de sac’s gardens, but I am so clearly lacking. One of these days, we should enlist some help, but where do we even begin? Yes, that smaller “tree” is a weed.
That’s hilarious that you thought that was me – in an alternate universe maybe (same universe where i’d also be a tall size 2 with boobs).
Oooooh, Astroturf! pretty, green synthetic surfaces make me happy 🙂
I want in on the preseco…Amreen, when I was reading, I thought those first two gardens were yours but just on opposite sides of your house. I am totally and completely with you on the gardening front. I claim that Will is the only living thing I haven’t killed – I’m terrible. I’m so pumped because my new house has astroturf instead of grass…made just for my non-green thumb!
that’s good advice, Tracey – I’ve got great neighbours who are happy to advise me. I’m more of a lie-on-the-deck with a book kind of girl, so it’s more of a matter of getting over my inner-laziness! Unfortunately my husband and I are made of the same slothful cloth.
I LIKE THIS!!!
Anytime Grumble. If I serve enough Prosecco, who will care about my garden??!
Um, I’d like to sit on your porch and drink Prosecco with you too, please. I don’t care much about the gardening though… *snickers*
Go and study your neighbours’ gardens and ask them questions – I’m sure they’d be more than happy to guide you through the types of greens in their gardens… I wish I was better at it too. Thank goodness my husband has a clue about how to do such things. Eeek!
Oh Jen, it’s so good to read this and know that I am not alone! Your friend is a keeper by the way! I’d love to see photos of your garden when it’s at its peak. Good luck!
Oh Amreen, I know of what you speak! It’s very difficult to be in the situation of appreciating others’ gardens, but being completely overwhelmed about where to start with one’s own.
This year, a girlfriend took my husband and I by the hands, walked us over to the local nursery, showed us what to buy, brought us home and plopped those plants where they should be planted. My husband did the planting on Friday and we’ve had five days of straight rain.
My same wonderful friend has promised to come over on Friday afternoons to help me with the “maintenance” (ie tell me what’s supposed to be there and what’s a weed).
Best of all? I pay my friend in glasses of Prosecco on the deck while we admire our handiwork. I’m expecting great things this summer (fingers crossed).