Hard Things Are Worth The Effort

Welcome to Monday, dear reader. I hope your weekend was filled with sunshine, free time, and everything that makes you smile. The Bibbed Wonder and I attended our first Hannahstown Farm Market. It was good to see our vendor friends and some of our favorite faces. Oh, how quickly we have slipped out of the live show routine! It took me a bit to get my market hat on straight, do the math thing, and straighten my face. It was a beautiful day for a market. The Hannahstown market has great potential. The bones of the market site are great. There is a terrific parking area and plenty of it, the field is flat, the layout makes sense, and the setting is country perfection. As with any new market, it will take some time to catch on and grow. I think people will find it the perfect setting for a farmers' market. 

This week, The Bibbed Wonder and I plan to finish our groundcover planting project. We have twenty bags of mulch to spread, and we should be done. It was a big project for sure. Now that it is almost complete, I am happy we did it. When the groundcover fills in, it will be beautiful. We have decided to plant a hedge row along the front yard that runs parallel to the barn. One bib overall wearing a naysayer has agreed to an evergreen hedge with a garden gate built into it. I must admit, I am shocked. He said that with the hedge and the groundcover we are, and I quote, "going to British that sh** up." My goal for this year is to plant the groundcover and the trees. I want to plant linden trees in the front yard to support fireflies, and they smell delightful. I also want to plant a tree on the west side of the house to shade the porch from the afternoon sun. I'm going to talk to an expert to see what kind of tree will support the wild bird life in winter and provide excellent shade. On the other side of the stone wall, I want to plant another dwarf red maple tree because I like symmetry. Then, in the fall, we are going to plant my orchard. So, we have some trees to plant. 

As I have the time and do the research, I am going to take small sections of the landscape and complete them with perennial gardens. I am quite excited about this aspect of the planting and planning process. The first section to be planted will be the small 6X9-foot area by the fence by the barn. I am planting climbing roses, native honeysuckle, bee balm, echinacea, and lavender. My goal is to plant gardens that support bees, hummingbirds, and native wild birds. The second area I plan to plant is the stone trough fountain in front of the house. My dad's fountain idea is beyond repair. However, I intend to adjust it to make it low-maintenance and reliable. I will remove the old hand pump, add a filtration system, and install a solar fountain option to attract birds and allow bees to drink safely. This way, I have a fountain without any underground components that, although different, will still honor what my dad intended. 

I have learned that gardening takes patience, hard work, attention, and effort. In the past, I haven't made a serious effort to succeed at gardening. Now, I think, with a bit of practice, research, and maintaining my focus, I can indeed grow plants and keep them alive. The difference is that I am actually attempting, not just dropping plants in the ground and leaving them to their own devices. I am nurturing by nature, so it is not a stretch for me to nurture another living thing like plants. Of course, the goal is to develop low-maintenance perennial beds. However, I can't just ignore plants after they are in the ground and expect them to survive. I am trying to be smart and practical, and to plant plants that will be successful in the different areas around our home. 

As for the landscaping that we pulled out, it was done by professionals, but I am unsure of what they were thinking. They planted mophead hydrangeas in a south-facing bed surrounded by stonework and cement. These poor babies baked in the blazing sun for eight hours a day. They were sickly, wilted, and burnt every season. I'm no expert, but even I know mop heads need partial shade. Planting trees in front of every window and choosing trees for various locations both baffle me. I am happy to start again, and this time, really think things through before planting. I know for certain I will make mistakes. I'm a newbie gardener with very little experience. However, as with everything, I will do my research before I make a decision. I'm good at researching if nothing else. While experience and natural ability are invaluable, I will do my best to do things right and plant things that will support the wild birds throughout the different seasons. 

I have a vision of how I want our yard to look. I suppose it is turning a lawn into a British-inspired garden rather than just a large expanse of grass. I hope to support local wildlife, incorporate native plants, and create a low-maintenance garden that will provide color and beauty year-round. It's time to put my stamp on our farm and build something that hopefully, my daughter and her family will one day appreciate. I'm most excited for an orchard, berry patch, and grapes. However, flowers are exciting as well. I feel sure the hard work will pay off, and we won't have any regrets. 

On this lovely summer-like day, stay safe, be smart, know that hard things are worth the effort, you can accomplish almost anything if you really try, and keep washing your hands.