I was so young, just 23 years old. Just a baby myself, and I had two tiny tots who kept me very, very busy.
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| My sweet baby girls |
The original Martha Stewart. But without her money!
That very first spring in my new house the gardening bug bit me. And it bit hard, and it has stuck with me all these years.
I wish I had photos to show you, because even though I knew pretty much NOTHING about gardening, my garden that first year was absolutely gorgeous!
At least in my mind.
Oh sure, I made plenty of gardening mistakes. I planted roses in the shade. I planted poplars along the driveway. I bought an electric string trimmer.
But I somehow managed to do some things really well, despite being so naive.
One of the first things I did was create a little garden around a gorgeous tree in my front yard. I went to Home Depot, bought some garden edging that looked like tiny logs, and went to town.
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I watered them regularly and fed them every single Friday with Miracle Gro.
Those impatiens filled in around the tree in no time and were absolutely incredible!
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Either way, I absolutely loved the way my house looked when I worked in the garden planting flowers and shrubs, and kept things neat and trimmed.
I still do.
My plantings may have become a bit more sophisticated since that very first year but they still bring the same joy when they fill in and add such beauty and life to the landscape.
When trying to decide what kind of plantings I want to put around my new tree, I did what I always do when I'm looking for inspiration.
I searched online.
What on earth did we do before the internet?
One of the first photos that inspired me was this one, which I shared with you all the other day in my post about plant combos.
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I hopped on over to Hostas Direct, where I have ordered many wonderful Hostas in the past.
I placed an order for two different Hostas to plant under the new tree.
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I think the two colors will complement both each other and the new Japanese Maple beautifully!
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And maybe some Impatiens.
Just for old time's sake.
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Sharing at:
Love the glimpse into your first home! You go girl! I still remember stapling a sheet onto my first couch. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy day!
karianne
And I bet it was gorgeous, KariAnne!
DeleteI too have planted at every house I have lived in. It didn't matter if it was a rental that I would eventually move off and leave. Plants were a necessity. I still feel that way. If something dies I just look at it as an opportunity to plant something new. Of course, I'd prefer plants not die, but live and learn that is how to care for plants.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, me, too - I can't help it!
DeleteI like having plants of different colors...it adds to the landscape. I think your choices will be very good together. It's going to have to warm up. We are cold here today. Brr...ready for a real spring. Blessings, xoxo, Susie
ReplyDeletep.s. cute little girls.
So cute, my little sweet baby girls - hard to believe they are all grown up now!
DeleteWhat adorable little girls! They remind me of Andee and Lynn when they were that age. I thought you were about 23 now! Seriously! Oh gosh, I remember trying to garden too but I didn't have as much luck as you. When I think of the plants I've killed over the years! Thankfully, I've learned a thing or two. :)
ReplyDeleteI was 23 once.....but it wasn't today or yesterday, that's for sure!! :)
DeleteOh that sounds so beautiful. I would love to have some hostas, but they hate the desert, so no way. I can grow impatients though and have them and petunia all the time. Oh and That picture of your girls is so precious.
ReplyDeleteThat's too bad, Marty - not even in pots? I wonder how the Hostas would do in containers....hmmmmm. Too much sun? What about in your pool area?
Delete23, with 2 young ones AND you had time to garden?
ReplyDeleteSupermom. :)
I made time....it was important for my sanity!
DeleteOnce a gardener, always a gardener. My daughters don't seem to have caught the bug from me. Hopefully I'll turn one or all of my grandchildren into lovers of the soil.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
I hope so, Brenda - someone has to carry on your green thumb legacy!
DeleteYou amaze me...I was just trying to keep my head above water when my kids were young! I can't wait to see what you create now!
ReplyDeleteHa ha, me, too! Every year I start out with kind of a plan and then it goes out the window!! But somehow it always works out!
DeleteI've never seen the yellow hosta before wow! I loved reading about your earliest gardening attempts.
ReplyDeleteAs you know, we moved and sold our house and valley to our son. This is the son who hated working in the yard with us while growing up, anything but gardening. And now the love of his life is an avid gardener and is doing a beautiful job with our old gardens--and our son is right there with her, and he's so proud of what they're accomplishing. That makes me so happy.
Did you get frost last night? I hope not!
We got frost last night, yes. But my plants are ok, I think....so far. I love that your son and his wife are happy in their new garden - that's wonderful, Dewena!
DeleteI love hostas, but don't have enough shade to grow 'em. Next house...
ReplyDeleteThe color combo is going to be glorious! Have fun.
Some Hostas do ok in sun - they just need a lot of water!
DeleteSuch sweet memories. I am a big fan of hostas and love the variety of colors in the pictures you shared of them.
ReplyDeleteI love them - I had such a gorgeous hosta garden at my previous home. I miss it!
DeleteYour girls were absolutely adorable! They have grown up into beautiful young ladies. Hostas are the bee's knees...we have several in the sun and they grow very well. Your color combination is going to look fabulous. I wish I had half your energy and amibition. Of course, you are half my age...ha! xo
ReplyDeleteI may be a teensy bit younger but believe me, my energy wanes as well, Donna!
DeleteYour first tree was beautiful and now this one will be also! Haven't we all made mistakes? I still do! I hauled all my pots in last night and covered things but don't think we got a frost last night but will do the same tonight! Nancy
ReplyDeleteI left my pots in the garage for tonight, will take them out tomorrow. Sigh, stupid frosts!!
DeleteDonna, I see you say you planted hostas in the sun? I want to do hostas in the sun. What kind did you use? Thanks. Nancy
ReplyDeleteHostas are my favorite too.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see more on your gardens and house, Valerie!
DeleteHostas are my favorite too.
ReplyDeleteThat is going to be beautiful!! My Ma-Maw did alot of hostas around her porch. I dont think ive ever grown any...maybe i should give them a try
ReplyDeleteI think you should! They are so lovely!
DeleteLOL I was just thinking not too long ago of life before the Net / OMG that pic of your girls...just darling! :)
ReplyDeleteLOL I was just thinking not too long ago of life before the Net / OMG that pic of your girls...just darling! :)
ReplyDeleteI don't know what we did. I google search things constantly now!
DeleteLovely post, Debbie, and lovely photos of your girls! We had a couple of trees that were close together, and we also planted impatience under them and learned as we went along. It's amazing to look back and think of all we did without the use of the internet!
ReplyDeleteSo true, Carol! I remember asking a neighbor who gardened - she led me down the right path!
DeleteGreat post. Love that picture of those babies! <3
ReplyDeleteThey were....and are....such gorgeous girls!!
DeleteThe hostas are going to look great around the maple! I gotta hand it to you...when my two were little the goal was just to keep the inside of the house clean...LOL!
ReplyDeleteHey, I didn't say the inside of the house was clean! Kidding, I was very scheduled and kept everything spotless!! OCD much? :)
DeleteI've always loved plants, too...my first plant was a coleus when I was about 12 years old. We have several varieties of hosta around our house and we haven't had to buy a single one! We've had neighbors and friends that were more than happy to divide theirs and share with us. In return, we've divided and shared what we now have, too. They are so easy to take care of, too. I don't think we've ever had to water ours! They survive through everything. That's my kind of plant!
ReplyDeleteThere were a bunch of hostas here when I moved in, also, but they were all the same exact green - no variation at all! So I added some yellow and blue to give the hosta garden a little interest. I hope they did ok over the winter....I'm still waiting to see!
DeleteThank you for sharing at SYC! :) Jo
ReplyDeleteSure thing - glad to!
DeleteI think back on our first house and I planted a huge rose garden right around the gas meter. It never entered my mind that digging around the gas meter might not be the best idea. We do learn as we go. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, eek, yes that could have been scary, huh?
DeleteAs I read your post, I reflected on my gardening, wondering how I figured out what to do because neither of my parents gardened. They both worked hard so they paid someone to do it and I never saw gardening happening.
ReplyDeleteI keep hearing about hostas and need to look into them for my garden.
Thanks for sharing with SYC.
Hostas are wonderful, they are easy plants for sure. The deer do like them, however, so that can be an issue. Also the slugs.
DeleteYour story could be mine sweet friend! I had two little ones, a girl and a boy at the young age of 23 as well. I have always loved gardening and the love was instilled into me by my mom and dad. I always loved caring for my gardens. Whether it was a rental of one of our homes. I think it's in our blood! :) I love hostas and that combo really is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
I think gardening is just like that....either it's in your blood or it's not!
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