This is the area in which you put all of your plant purchases until you “find a place to plant them.” Right? You go to the garden center and find something you must have, even though you don’t know where you are going to put it.
This is one of the symptoms of being a plant geek. You love plants and simply can’t pass them up. You must have it when you see something that’s cool, unusual, or you simply like.
But when you get home, you are not sure where to plant it so it goes in the porch/driveway garden. Mine is located right off the back patio, behind the house, and under a redbud tree. This way they aren’t in the full hot sun.
Yes, I water this garden almost every day in the summer, until I can find time, or a location, to plant everything. Last summer, I was able to plant all the early spring purchases before June.
However, fall came around, and guess what? More plants. I still have some out there right now, but I covered them with mulch so that they survive (hopefully) the winter.
Each year I have two resolutions related to the garden. I am pleased that I can keep the resolution or at least part of it.
Last year I also resolved to get my perennial beds in order. I worked on small pieces, weeding, adding a preemergent herbicide and mulch, and adding plants to fill in as needed.
By doing this in small pieces, I am finally taming this beast. Thus, another resolution is to tackle a few more sections this summer this year. Eventually, I will have it the way I want it.
Only to turn around and start renovating it, right? That’s what gardeners do.
I have also resolved to garden smarter, not harder. The older I get, the more I realize that I can’t go at it all day, 10 hours at a time. I must break it down into chunks and take more breaks.
I am having a difficult time with this. When I am on a roll, I just want to keep right on going. I could do this when I was younger but now, I pay for it the next day.
I resolve that this year, I will pay attention to my body and what it’s telling me. After weeding in one position for a long time, I will change tasks and muscle groups to prevent major sore muscles!
At least I can continue to garden and for that I am grateful.
Pamela Corle-Bennett is the state master gardener volunteer coordinator and horticulture educator for Ohio State University Extension. Contact her by email at bennett.27@osu.edu.
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