Gardening Made Simple

Hello, everyone! I hope you're having a safe Saturday especially during this coronavirus pandemic. How's your quarantine going? No one will disagree that our lives have suddenly turned upside down during this unprecedented time! We are having to become more creative in keeping ourselves and our families occupied and less anxious. One of the things I've been doing is simple gardening to help beautify my yard, and since I am a low-maintenance gal, simple is exactly how I aim to keep it.

A few weeks ago I started working on a small section of my flower bed. Initially, I planted seven in-ground flowers (calla lilies, dianthus, English daisies, lithodora, two Easter lilies, and some tiny, yellow daisies I can't remember the name of), cut and laid down heavy duty trash bags, and topped it off with pine straw. Yesterday, I spruced it up a little with three potted plants (more dianthus, alstroemria, and assorted sedum). I also put two more flowers (more dianthus and aquilegia) in pots on my small front porch along with an already established pot of succulents. Then I added three different flowers (Mrs. Bradshaw geum, Lady Stratheden geum, and salvia) to one huge pot on my sidewalk. This year, I have decided to only purchase and plant perennials since they come back every year.

There are so many things you can do. Have you ever considered just setting a flower pot on a huge rock on your landscape? See? You just have to be creative, and it's easier and cheaper than you might think. In addition, if you're an artist like my daughter and me, you can use the beautiful, colorful backgrounds in your artwork. For example, my daughter designs and makes jewelry and likes to use my flowers as props when taking pictures of of her stunning pieces. Since I'm a nature photographer, I often snap photos (especially macros) of the plant life in my garden.

You be the judge. Your yard is your canvas! Our Creator has provided all of the supplies we need in order to beautify it if we will just stop and take note of everything He has given us! If you haven't had time in the past to observe and appreciate it, now you do.

Take care, and continue to stay safe.

As always, this is from my heart to yours,

Maxine :)

"For his invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship, so that they are inexcusable." (Romans 1:20)