We moved into our house in late November, and after a full December, only got around to planting daffodil bulbs in January.
I was convinced they weren’t going to show up at all this year. But just like all the gardening advice columns I consulted, it looks like they’re going to be late bloomers. Last weekend we noticed a few daffodils springing up and this weekend found even more.
And with each day, our garden is shaped into the natural paradise I want it to be. We’re nearly done weeding all the beds—although that work never truly ends—and are beginning to think more strategically about where to plant our seed starts and future annuals.
Inheriting a garden is exciting because there are some established plants I know are bound to be beautiful, and some new arrivals that I didn’t realize were there, like what I think is a host of Lily of the Valley coming up from below the deck.
But the inherited garden also comes with a lot of things we aren’t overly fond of, such as randomly spaced out heathers that take up too much room for little viewing pleasure. We both love heather, but these particular heather plants are not our favorite varieties, nor are they in a place we love.
So we are removing them and planning to either give them away or move them to a different spot. In their place we are adding some native plants, like a red twig dogwood shrub. We also added a forsythia this weekend—a bit of bright yellow to help us greet spring each year.
Inside, the seed starts are well on their way and I can’t wait for them to be ready to plant. In the planter boxes outside, we have sown poppies, sweet peas and now nasturtiums as well.
Every time I stick a seed in the earth I wonder if anything will come of it. Maybe it’s an exercise in taming perfectionism: the worst case scenario is nothing. But the best case scenario is beautiful blooms.
Lily Haight 