Diary Of A Wannabe Gardener

Have you ever thought about the various ways that people judge one another and how a person may see others in their own mind? Could there be someone somewhere trying to decide whether you are a beautiful gracious rose or a defensive prickly pear? That is exactly how the main character in my book, Diary of a Wannabe Gardener, Samantha Black, judges people.

Samantha, a stay at home mom, is at war with the weeds in her flower garden. She has suffered yearly defeats, but knows that this is the year of her victory. Her thumb may not be green, but she is green with envy as she views breathtaking landscapes of various Mississippi gardens. She pinches money from the household funds behind her husband's back, to achieve her goal of a perfect garden. Sam's family become reluctant participants in her yearly war against the weeds. She will not allow herself to entertain the idea that she is actually a gardener until she has created the "perfect" flower garden. Even when the family omen of the death birds comes to her house, Sam keeps her focus on her garden; her soul. Sam chronicles the garden murders, the revolts and injustices of nature, and her determination to overcome old wives tales in her yearlong diary. Family and community bonds are formed and strengthened in the oddest way as Sam's "perfect" flower garden comes to life.

Dorothy Guyton, author.

PLEASE buy my book, Diary of a Wannabe Gardener, on amazon.com while you await the first signs of spring. Also, like, share, comment, and follow me on all my social media sites.

Roses on my Mind

 

This post was originally done in 2010 . It is amazing to know the cost of roses has almost tripled!

I have always had a love of roses and for the color purple. At this very time, I am prunning my roses which have already started to bud. To say I'm all scratched up is an understatement. The one thing which has changed since I made this post is that I live in a new place. I transplanted many plants, including roses from my country home garden to my new city garden which is two years old now.

Each winter I question why I continue to garden but as soon as the first signs of spring begin, I am on pins for my plants to come alive. I guess gardening is in the blood. It never dies. My favorite plant is roses but in my neck of the woods, it is humid which is the enemy of roses. Even if I buy blackspot resistant roses, the disease still shows up dropping the leaves of the roses. Will I ever stop planting roses? Never. I believe I have about 250 roses as of now and that total is sure to increase as I find (make) space for more roses.

One impediment to my love of gardening is my husband and children. Even my adult childrenwho no longer live at home made me promise wen we bought our new home to limit my DESTRUCTION of expansive yard to make flower beds. I did promise, but everyone knew I would be unable to keep my promise. I am willing to be labled a liar instead of not CREATING magic with flowers in my yard. They did not hesitate to LABEL me a liar. More plants. Don't care.

Anyway, my fellow gardeners understand the overwhelming feeling that comes over gardeners in the spring time. Only gardeners can relate. It's like the saying "Unleash the Kraken" when we know it is time to start the gardening season again. We can't and won't be held back. My book, Diary of a Wannabe Gardener, sums up the inner workings of a gardener's mind as the book journals the daily life of a gardener. She is always trying to create the PERFECT garden which gardeners will tell you there is no such thing, but every garden is PERFECT. So enjoy this section of post which was written years ago but still rings true for me.

Rhapsody in Blue shrub rose
Ebb Tide floribunda rose

On this first day of the new year 2010, my mind is on my flower garden and my love; the rose. Today I ordered the above pictured roses from Regan Nursery each costing $20.00. I have struggled to grow healthy plants protected from nut grass, I must say with failure. I never give up because that first spring flush of flowers is absolutely divine.

I am thinking about giving up my garden to neglect due to the fact that it is over run by large earthworms. I have a real fear of worms. My husband has been a doll for years hanging out in the garden with me as I scream and flee from the disturbed wriggling creature. It is ironic that the more worms in the soil the healthier it is. I don't know what I am going to do because I am a jittery mess when it comes time to plant a new choice plant I have fallen in love with at one of the numerous garden centers I visit.

I have a section of garden dedicated to the illusive purple color. I have a niece who is fond of the color purple so that section of my garden is named after her.

2009 saw my garden attacked by an evasive armidillo. He dug and dug uprooting many of my asiatic lilies in search of grubs. The deer pulled up pansies and snapdragons in late winter. And this fall they are eating bushes and everything else their hearts desire. I have a host of birds feeding on seeds. I am surrounded by nature and I find it fascinating each day.

Check out some of my ealiest posts which are pictures of my garden. I look forward to the flower catalogs arriving. I check the mail daily. I hope to post some pics from my 2024 garden.

Enjoy nature, enjoy life. Remember to purchase my book, Diary of a Wannabe Gardener, available on amazon.com and please like, share, comment and follow me on all social media sites.

The Perfect Garden

HAPPY CLEMATIS THURSDAY 

 

Is there such a thing as the perfect garden? If you ask me the answer is NO!

Each winter I move plants, pull out plants, and plan to buy plants all in an effort create the perfect garden for the next year. I never seem to be satisfied with the garden that I have. This year I added 6 clematis plants in hopes of having the flowers climb wherever they may. Clematis is a workhorse and announces spring is here.

Any gardener that you speak with will tell you that the garden they have has taken years of trials and errors and is always a work in progress. In my book "Diary of A Wannabe Gardener" Samantha learns there is no such thing as the perfect garden. But all gardens are beautiful and individual.

Below is what some famous people have had to say about gardening and gardeners:

DOROTHY FRANCES GURNEY:
The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth. "Garden Thoughts"

ELIZABETH MURRAY:
Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as paint, and the soil and sky as canvas.

LEWIS GANNIT:
Gardening is a kind of disease. It infects you, you cannot escape it. When you go visiting, your eyes rove about the garden; you interrupt the serious cocktail drinking because of an irresistible impulse to get up and pull a weed.

THOMAS MOORE:
The many great gardens of the world, of literature and poetry, of painting and music, of religion and architecture, all make the point as clear as possible: The soul cannot thrive in the absence of a garden. If you don't want paradise, you are not human; and if you are not human, you don't have a soul.
God almighty first planted a garden: and, indeed, it is the purest of human pleasure.

FRANCIS BACON
The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there.
George Bernard Shaw

So, it's gardening time 2024 and soon every gardener will be having gardening fever. Are you working on your perfect garden? What is your idea of a perfect garden? Is it a rose garden like mine or a perennial garden which I also strive to have? Are you the annual pop of pow type of gardener? Let's talk. WHAT IS YOUR FAMOUS QUOTE ABOUT GARDENING OR GARDENERS? Please share.

Don't forget to buy my book Diary of a Wanna Be Gardener to enjoy the life of an everyday gardener trying to create the perfect garden; available on amazon.com. Please like, share, follow, and comment. Invite your gardening friends to enjoy my blog posts about my gardening journey and gardening life. If you like my gardening topics, please let me know and I will write more about gardening on my blog. Remember, select the label garden, gardening, or gardener on the right side of the blog page.