Not many remember this since I have been growing flower gardens for so long now, but many years ago, I was so afraid of bees that I never wanted anything to do with flowers. In our first house, I even asked my husband to remove a 15 foot tall Rose of Sharon bush that had grown into a tree because of my fear of the bees that were attracted to it. But at some point, I realized I wanted flowers around my house. So I began with annuals and had such success, that I continued each year with new beds, trying out any annual that I found attractive.
Each year my mother-in-law would urge me to try perennials and each year I would resist saying that they just weren't as pretty as annuals and didn't flower as long. Eventually, though, my interests grew and I decided to try out some perennials. Searching for marked down perennial flower books to buy became my second hobby. I researched the books to find the flowers that bloomed the longest, the ones that weren't invasive enough to take over a garden, and the ones that were visually atrractive to me. I then began my search to buy the plants themselves. A good source of information is in the flower catalogs that you receive in the mail. Two of the best catalogues that I have found are Wayside Gardens and White Flower Farm. They provide you with a lot of information on a plant that you are interested in. You can obtain a catalogue at www.waysidegardens.com and www.whiteflowerfarm.com.
Since most perennials grow so fast, buying the smallest size plant was the cheaper way to go. I would shop for two-for-one deals, and also would be sure to watch for stores that were marking down their stock at the end of the season to 50% and eventually 75% off (such as Kmart of Meijer) so that I could purchase the plants cheaply. I discovered at 75% off, even if the perennial looked almost dead, it would survive and grow into a great looking plant in the spring.
A few years later, I discovered that at the end of the season when the plants were cut back for the winter, the landscape was pretty bare and decided I needed to expand and try out shrubs. Again, I searched end of season markdowns and was able to purchase many shrubs at 75% off the original price.
In my search for the perfect shrub, I also wanted to attract backyard birds. I would look for a shrub that would either provide food or cover for them.
Flower gardening for me is very relaxing...a time to be myself and alone with my thoughts. It also is an art of sorts and I find it a challenge to figure out arrangements and strategies for where the next bed or border could go. I can't tell you how many different places in the yard a certain plant has been. Some plants have been moved yearly to find the perfect spot. Also, as the years passed, I was able to divide plants and devote entire beds to a certain plant. All the hard work you go through to get the beds the way you want them is worth the beauty in the end and I don't regret all the trial and error. There is no better reward than the excitement of spotting that first bloom in the spring. |
