My Corner Garden

When we moved into our new house, pretty much everything inside was all set, minus paint, but the outside was a blank canvas. It turns out it's a canvas that's very difficult to paint, as we have poor soil, invasive Jumping Worms, rocks, invasive weeds/vines/root systems, poison ivy galore, deer, rabbits, groundhogs, chipmunks, walnut trees (poison the soil with juglone anywhere within the dripline/where leaves fall/where squirrels put the nuts...which is EVERYWHERE), and now a pervasive drought. 

I have made the best of it and planted all the spiky, aromatic things with good survival skills and taken note of what works and what doesn't and chalked it all up to learning curve. 

One of my favorite garden spots is the corner garden. You can't see it from the house. This prompted a garden guy who was pitching to help with some hardscaping to say "Why would you ever plant a garden there? You won't ever see it!" We did not hire him. 

Corner garden earlier in the summer

Because, I had a vision. I wanted a garden that would be for everyone to enjoy. I might not see it from literally any windows in the house, but I see it every time I leave or come home. Anyone walking on the street can see it. And when there are no humans around, it is enjoyed by pollinators galore including honeybees, bumblebees, wasps, hoverflies, various butterflies and moths, and hummingbirds. Unfortunately the deer and groundhogs seem to enjoy it in the spring also, but once all the spiky/herby plants mature, they pretty leave it alone (although I probably just jinxed it). 

Spiky stuff

I love this garden because it is not just for me. It's for everyone, human and not. It is enjoyed regardless of whether humans go anywhere near it.

I also bought a bench recently, that I envisioned going against the house by my birdbath garden so I could sit and enjoy. It turned out that it was a weird space for a bench, next to a heat pump/AC unit, and so awkward and not really such a great place to sit. Oh well. 

But then, today, I moved it to the corner garden. Originally when I said I was going to move it there, Bryce said, "but will you actually sit out there?" And the answer is yes. I sat there for a good 40 minutes, despite the heat advisory and sweat EVERYWHERE. It's in the shade and it gives me a great view (and a sort of secret hidden feeling). I can see sitting there with a book, with a notebook, or just watching the bees and the visiting hummingbird. It's a lovely spot. 

Ahhh what a lovely spot! 

It's funny, because the first plants that went in were dug by my mom, because I was recovering from my hysterectomy and could not do any digging. Then, when I recovered, I dug a bed around those plants, and planted more. It's a little island with pollinator activity and public beauty. It's a labor of love. Every year I amend the soil (AGAIN) and weed and mulch and inspect what is surviving and what is not. And then I do maintenance. It was is a gradual process. I had a vision, which I then had to adjust, and now, slowly but surely, it is starting to look like I'd hoped it would. This is the thing with gardening. It requires patience, a long-term vision, and flexibility. All things which make it so very rewarding when it works.

I always wanted a place to sit and rest when working out there. And now I have it! So awesome when you have a vision and it can be brought to life... not by a miracle or fate, but because of hard work and flexibility and adjusting a plan as you go instead of hard-headed-ly continuing down the same path that isn't working. (Get the metaphor?). Now it is a place of peace and beauty and purpose.  

Look! Bees! Spiky things! A snake about to gobble a globe thistle! 

Chronology of a Corner Garden:

Back at the very beginning... April 2019

May 2019

August 2019

September 2019

July 2020

July 2021

And today! August 6, 2022