I was working in the yard from 8:00 Am to 7:00Pm yestersday almost non-stop. When we bought this house, we knew that it would take a great deal of work to make it fabulous. During the past 80 years, it seemed that none of the previous owners put any thought or efforts on it. The yard just did not have its bone. it did not have a single mature tree. Well we do have a mimosa tree if it can be qualified as a tree. I have been working on it since last summer when we moved in. It does get better every day but it is a long way to go.
If you read my blog before, I had one post titled " Darwin Theory for Gardening" way back when we just moved in. It was a story regarding my conversation with our neighbor Jane and Michael. After a year, I know them much better. We are just so lucky to have this wonderful neighor. They are very sweet and genuine. Surely we have one thing in common particuliarly. That is gardening and plants. Every time we have done something in our yard, she will go back to add a one more item in Michael's to-do list for her garden. We joke with poor Michael all the time.
I started to create our shady side yard garden as my first task. Since we share drive way, Michael and Jane's house has the opposite sunny side yard. It was some spotted plants among a lot weeds. One day, Michael cleaned up the whole area. It looked much better. Then they went for a plant shopping. I do not help but realizing that some of plants might not survive for long since they are plants for shady area.
I know how much Jane is eager to have a beautiful garden and now her frustration. We have given her plants once a while - Chinese Jasmine, Mexican Sunflower, Bamboo Fern, ..... Well they gradually disappear from her inventory. I am afraid of asking.
I have to come to conclusion that for some of garden lovers, what they need is so called "Care Free" garden if it exists. The one way to achieve it is to hire someone to do the work and maintain it. Well the garden surely is cared but not free. Most of people are not able to afford it. They have to know how to care first before it is free( relatively). That seems to be a dilemna for Jane as well as many frustrated gardeners. I learned from my failures and still do. I hope that Jane is able to pass that hurdle one day. Sometime people tends to be shy of asking. Most times, good advices are free for us to know how to care.
We had a very fun brunch last weekend. My friend Xiang and her friend Raja came from Columbus. We also invited Jane next door neighbor, Laiyee and Bob and their daughter Tali who made a surprise visit for her mom's birthday. Tali just graduated from Princeton University. Sammy's mom and Bc are visiting us and we always enjoy their company. Great food, always wonderful conversation about Athens, politics, bad habits of my Chinese fellows, and ignorance of my American folks. Well I surely cover both ends.
