What's the Newest Surprise in YOUR Garden?

What makes a garden? 

• Just about anything if you love it, tend it and care for it. 
• If it makes you happy (or frustrated and angry, but you can't give it up), then it's a garden. 
• Whether you have a green thumb or black, if you love puttering in the dirt and plant seeds and plants time after time, it's a garden--to you.

1.  We have several flower gardens. Here's just a sampling of some of the flowers.

Here's a picture of a tough and beautiful flower that persists in blooming in my garden 

even when it's cold and showering snow during spring days. 

What a surprise every spring to see this hardy plant shedding it's 

understated beauty for us!

Beautiful Hydrangeas

Sweet Star of Bethlehems--some of my favorites!

We're planning on doing some major overhauls to our flower gardens this year. We want to create/finish one at the end of our driveway. With our major flower garden, I want to weed out some plants that have "taken over" (overgrown) their space. We also want to do another cleanup this year of our garden pond, do some repairs to the deck and add some different interest with new decorative figurines and stones. 

2.  We also harvest as much wild produce as is available on our mini farm. Some examples:

Our "garden" of mushrooms

Of course, they grow wild, but they're a source of food

and we jealously guard them.

Some of our raspberries grown wild on our farm:

3.  Last year we had a small vegetable garden and decided to "build" block raised garden spots.    I loved it, and we plan on using them again. Some of our vegetables included lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and herbs. We'll be expanding this year and see how that goes. 

How To?

If you love experimenting and getting the jump, start your own seedlings!

Here's an easy and simple way to begin. 

Wal-Mart carries similar (or make your own containers) 

Directions included. :)

Depending on where you live, you can begin these as early as February or wait till April.

Seeds can sprout within days to a month or more, depending on the plants.

In the meantime, when the weather warms up, 

begin your spring garden cleanup.

* Clean out flower beds from winter debris, twigs, left over leaves, 

and weeds that were ignored or abandoned at Autumn time

* Flower gardens: repair any damages, such as edging, decorative figurines, stepping stones, etc.

Decide if you'll keep present flower scheme or make changes.

BE CREATIVE!

* Try your hand at water gardens, containers or ground, they're lots of fun!

* Check out the abundance of figurines that add whimsy to a garden

* Do a color-themed garden. I've always wanted an all-blue one or an all-white one,

but haven't gotten to it yet.

* Use borders. I have friends who "collect" rocks for me.

They go in my flower beds!

* Stepping stones are such a fun way create interest

*And don't forget seating arrangements, even in veggie gardens.

You'll want to get plenty of resting time in your newly created garden.

Simple stuff, but perhaps it will get your interest in gardening moving. Even potted plants or very small patio gardens can be fun and interesting. Be brave! Start today. Blessings!

About Carole

Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. She loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons? 

Personal blog: http://sunnebnkwrtr.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaroleBrown.author
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Check out her books here

http://www.amazon.com/Carole-Brown/e/B00EZV4RFY/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1427898838&sr=8-1

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