Contributed by Marilyn Bennett
There is a time for fun and there is a time for spring planting. Having just moved to Palmer from Minnesota, I was excited to begin a perennial garden at my new home.
I put on my very fashionable safari canvas hat, which even has a chin cord to prevent it from blowing off. Then got out my old patched sweater and trusty gardening gloves and was ready to attack the yard.
My first project was to dig out an area in the shade that I could see from the house. Having just moved from a yard with some of the best soil on earth, I do have to admit I was rather spoiled and not totally prepared for my new yard in Palmer. I began my attempt to dig up an area and immediately hit sod, weeds and the roots of horsetail and wild roses. I had always believed that grass was just a flower bed in waiting, but was quickly running into another old gardening maxim.
“Gardening is a matter of your enthusiasm holding up until your back gets used to it.”
My enthusiasm was on high, so there was no way a bunch of roots could get in the way of my new garden. In Minnesota, I held the high esteem of being a “Master Gardener”. But here I am just a novice trying to cut out enough roots to plant a few hardy perennials. Luckily for me, my daughter has lived in Palmer for several years and has a garden that is under assault from many of the invasive plant species we all love to plant and then grow to hate.
I arrived in her yard with my trusty trowel and dug out many of the Ferns who were attacking her lawn. I then thinned out a bed of wild Columbines, rescued a Hosta from the roots of an intrusive Lily of the Valley and then saved a portion of her raised bed from the incursion of the hugely invasive mint.
After this successful foray, I arrived home to plant ferns, Lily of the Valley, mint and the lovely blue columbines in my garden. My hope and plan is that these fun invasive plants will prevail over the horsetail and the wild roses that still surround my yard. My garden plans have always been to plant lots of hardy invasive plants and let them fight it out. Now I just have to find a small ground cover that likes this area and I will be ready to enjoy watching my plants compete with each other.
Since we saw evidence of moose in our yard before we moved in I did some research on the internet. I found out that moose hate mint. Years ago, I grew to hate mint also, as I planted a small herb garden and the mint quickly killed all the other herbs. So, I empathize with the moose. But all is fair in the war between plants and animals. My plan is to plant tulip bulbs in the fall between the mint and then see what the moose will do.
The deer in Minnesota loved to bite off the blooms of my tulips and then spit them out. You would think that after trying one or two they would realize they didn’t like them and leave the rest alone. Yeah, sure… that would make sense, but they had to try every single one. I bought commercial deer spray, tried coating the blooms with vaporub, spreading garlic chips over the garden and in an act of final desperation sprayed coyote urine around, all to no avail. If mint works on the moose it will be a real breakthrough for me.
Next month, I will start work on my back yard which is protected by a fence, so I am confident that I can plant more delicate flowers and even some vegetables. However, by the time I get the energy to whip the back yard into shape it will be fall and I can rest for the winter and draw out a landscape plan for next year. That is probably the most fun of gardening. I envision a winding path, a darling garden bench with a lovely grape arbor next to a fragrant rose garden. Then in the far corner will be a raised bed with a lovely assortment of vegetables.
I do love gardening projects; but as I grow older, I want to create a garden that will care for itself in a few years. The perennial garden is a joy to watch as we grow older and share the joy and beauty of nature with our children and grandchildren.
If all else fails, I still have my glass flowers.
