I thought Mothers Day would be the perfect time to share the first post on my love for gardening. It is very appropriate considering it was my mom who recently got me into the obsession with creating my own little garden at our condo.
From the days of helping my mom plant tulip bulbs for the spring as a little girl, to the hot summer days as a teenager having to mow the yard for a little extra cash, I would roll my eyes and grumble anytime I was asked to do yard work. Little did I know then, I would be spending my weekends planning out my garden and spending any extra money on beefing up window boxes for our own home. Karson will gladly tell anyone listening that I have a slight problem...
From the days of helping my mom plant tulip bulbs for the spring as a little girl, to the hot summer days as a teenager having to mow the yard for a little extra cash, I would roll my eyes and grumble anytime I was asked to do yard work. Little did I know then, I would be spending my weekends planning out my garden and spending any extra money on beefing up window boxes for our own home. Karson will gladly tell anyone listening that I have a slight problem...
I have learned that the best plants and flowers to start with in our area are petunias, lantana and potato vines. A few years ago I wouldn't have known the difference from a petunia to a pansy, but after a summer of watching flowers die or thrive, I have become accustomed to the no brainer flowers to invest in. Something I learned from my "green thumb" mother is that you should always go for the Supertunia's when purchasing Petunia's. These are proven winners that require no deadheading (popping off any dead flower heads) and will save you loads of time.
We originally started off with our "front yard" at the condo full of gravel and cement. In one weekend were able to transform it from gravel to flower bed with some back breaking work from my mom, Karson and I. Yet another reason to be thankful for the wonderful mother I have! Karson tilled in new compost with the old soil in order to make it a nice environment for our plants. Once the bed was formed, we found spots for a Crepe Myrtle bush, two Texas Sage bushes and little box woods to hopefully grow and fill the space one day. These are all great choices that can survive through the hot Texas summers. I was sure to leave a space up front for lantana and petunias that are currently growing into healthy bushes themselves!
My favorite part of gardening is the feeling of satisfaction watching the plants that I have taken care of grow all summer long into a beautiful bit of landscaping! I won't deny the fact that Karson has caught me talking to those pretty little flowers here and there... we all have our secrets.
I could not be more grateful for the passion for gardening that my mom has passed on to me! There have been many things in life that she has taught me, but I can only hope that I will one day be on the level of expertise that she shows in her backyard!
I could not be more grateful for the passion for gardening that my mom has passed on to me! There have been many things in life that she has taught me, but I can only hope that I will one day be on the level of expertise that she shows in her backyard!