I decided I wanted to plant easy care plants that once established would be easy keepers and easy to care for and even easier on the water consumption. I also wanted to have flowers, lots of flowers! Flowers to draw in hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. I wanted to be able to come home to a lovely looking yard that would make you smile when you pull up and sigh and relax. Well, I am getting there. And even just having the terraces up has neighbors stopping to say how nice it's looking!
My husband has been working very, very hard for me, and we planted the first beds last weekend. I spent time the weekend before at the Nursery picking out my plants and just enjoying the energy being around growing things. Well the next day after buying the plants (Monday) I went out before going to work to water them a bit and admire them. I wasn't very awake I guess because it took me a few moments to realize there was something about a foot or so from my face, about chin level. I looked up to see this lovely little male humming bird in front of me, trying to communicate. I opened my heart as they are such joyful little souls, talked to him, and while I was talking to him he would bob and move closer and away. Then he dipped down to drink from all the flowers waiting to be planted. After he'd sampled them all, he buzzed off.
Well, now they're all in the ground, this is from the house side so far. The other bed isn't planted yet.
Yesterday morning, I was out looking things over, and getting ready to water again. And here comes my little guy again. I talked to him, he flew around me up to me, went around behind me to look for the plants where they were, then found them in the bed. I enjoyed watching him check them all out, and noted his favorites. Then he came over and came right up to my face, twittered as if to say "Thank You!" and zoomed off. Both these incidents completely made my mornings, and I worked to hold that feeling all day.
Last evening though I am discovering that they all need more water to saturate the ground a bit more at present till they get established. And we'll need to get the mulch down soon to help retain the moisture. But while I was out watering and enjoying gardening again, several neighbors walking their dogs by commented. The one I got the kick out of is an elderly woman with her elderly beagle. She is also the neighborhood yard patrol and complains to the neighborhood association about poor yards. She stopped and said how nice it was coming along. Then she noted, "Oh, you have some flowers planted!" I told her I had planted to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. She seemed surprised about that and huffed then asked if we were going to just put bark mulch on the other side (it's where we have it all unloaded for the present). I told her no, that bark was at the moment for this bed that it wasn't complete yet and that I would be doing flower type beds also on the other side. She sniffed, didn't say another word and meandered off.
One could have perhaps been a tad offended by her attitude, but I was mostly amused. As if it never occurred to her to perhaps provide for other creatures, thus bringing more positive energy and enjoyment to your home. It's all about karma, put good out, you'll get good back.
Eventual plans as they move forward are to finish the other side before fall sets in, get a front porch full length up and work on the back yard over winter to be ready for spring plantings. YAY! Eventually this front bed will have a rose bush or two also planted in that hopefully will climb up a trellis or two of the porch. At least that's the plan!
Anyhow, some of the plants planted here are different types of salvia, Monarda (gorgeous flowers!), dianthus, minature matt daisies, pink moss matt, Agastache, Catmint, Missouri primrose, bee balms, and a few others. The other side will have a dwarf grass clump also, and plans to put in a bird bath and maybe some bird houses under the Aspen. :)
Ok, can you tell I'm excited about it all? LOL
