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Like everyone following the September 11th disaster, I was
transfixed to the television. I wanted to hear every piece of
information the minute it was available. Maybe it was an effort to
understand the reasons for the attack and how it could have
happened, but, certainly the news was not good, and watching it for
long periods of time began to take a toll on me and my family. So,
in subsequent days, I limited my exposure to the news. I began my
daily herbal tasks of harvesting and preparing for some
presentations, but I allowed myself "news breaks" to catch the
latest reports. This was helpful, but certainly did not lift my
spirits; there was a gloom in the air, an ever present depression.
Prior to these sad days, my husband had constructed an entry
gate at the bottom of our driveway. He laid out two beds for
plantings, one on each side of the drive. The beds were ready for
spring planting, but I needed to plant now more than ever!
The first step was envisioning the look I wanted to
achieve upon entering. I knew that hardy perennials with long bloom
times were a must. They had to be quite tall and showy, but
require minimal care. I had plenty
of echinacea to move that was blocking my front perennial bed.
Blanket flowers and dyers chamomile would contrast nicely with the
purple echinacea blooms. I had both of those specimens that could
be moved with ease. I had a first year growth of gooseneck
loostrife that hadn't become unruly yet, and
could get quite large by the high split rail fence that was
installed with the gate. That loostrife was a candidate for the
new beds.
Luckily, I had 2 yellow honeysuckle plants to grow on
the fence, and 2 santolina incana nana to plant next to a large
rock in each bed. With half a dozen lavender munstead that were
left from the plant sale and some catmint for a border, I was on a
roll! I was not happy with how large the lilies and iris grew and
blocked the front row of the Shakepeare Garden, those were also
candidates to pull up and divide. They would be showy and easy
care for my new site. I used the silver thyme from my living wreath
to make a border in front of the "santolina rock". A side border
of lambs ears would be easy to obtain from my silver and gray
garden. I felt really good about not spending a dime on the plants
for these beds. By now I had begun dedicating this garden to the
disaster victims, and donated the money for the plants to relief
charity.
There were 2 big hydrangeas that looked out of place in my
front bed. The effort to physically dig and remove them
enabled me something to take my anger out on. I began to realize
how much better I felt after hacking
through all those tenacious roots. Maybe that is how the rescue
workers felt from the sheer labor of their endeavors, though much
more serious and vital than my small task. I planted the
hydrangeas on the opposite side of the fence, that is facing the
house. I hope they grow, one was pretty large to be moved. I am
not sure if the Russian Sage will make it, there wasn't much soil
around the roots of the plants I moved, but they were crowded where
they had grown anyway.
I will get some mum plants to make it look pretty this time of
year, and then add some bulbs in the following weeks. The garden
doesn't look "good" yet. The plants are oddly shaped from the
upheaval and dividing they
sustained. The leaves are drooping. They are ready to go dormant
anyway, with a little luck and a wet fall, they should take, and
begin a new life in the spring. Ahh, looking forward to spring. I
am beginning to heal,
beginning to look ahead. Beginning to hope for the future. There
will be rough times ahead. There will be coldness and bleakness.
We have a lot to go through. But we know we will get through it.
I hope every single plant makes it!
You cannot imagine how cathartic an experience planting that
garden has been for me! It was unplanned and unexpected, planting a
garden in the last week of summer! The most shocking part was my
son and husband said it looked "good". It doesn't look "good."
Maybe they get it too.
Hope to see you at Salt Box
Gallery!
Let me know how you like the website, drop me an
e-mail entitled "Regarding
website."
Happy Herbal Harvesting.
Marian
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