Spring Clearing

I'm not a fan of grass which requires weed killers, fertilizer and water.  Lawns feed nothing and cause harm to the environment...and are a lot of trouble.  Water, feed, cut and do it all over again.....and again....and again.   

When I moved to this house over twenty-five years ago, I began putting in flower and vegetable beds, one or two a year.  I think there are 41 at this point.  All I have is a grassy path between flowerbeds, with a small square of lawn at the front of the house to placate my conventional neighbors.  

My gardening requires about a month of hard work in the spring, right at the time I want to be outside anyhow.  Most of the flowers are perennials, so there isn't a lot of planting, just a bit of pruning and transplanting.  Raking, hoeing, planting, and carting things around gets me into shape for the summer.

Once I finish the work, around mid-May, there isn't much left to do.  The gardens take care of themselves and the occasional push of the reel mower (I don't like motors much either) along the paths is all that's left to do.  We sit on the deck watching neighbors mowing as we look over the flowering bounty. 

Once a week, I cut a bouquet for the church.  The choir chooses someone in the congregation who needs a lift to take the flowers home.  They return the vases and so it goes all summer.  When I am gone, I designate someone to take over the "floral ministry".

There's nothing left to do until fall when I sweep the leaves over the flowers to keep them happy over the winter.  

Right now, snowdrops, crocuses, periwinkle, and scilla are in bloom.  Hyacinths and daffodils are in bud and will be in bloom in three or four days.  By next week, there will be swaths of flowers to delight the children coming from  school.  I always arrange to be there then to keep them from pulling tulips out of the ground, bulbs and all.  Instead, I cut bouquets for them, too.  That way we're all happy.

On Monday, I began spring clearing.  Spring cleaning?  Not in my day planner.  Sorry.