"I'm not really a career person.I'm a gardener,basically.".....George Harrison

Thursday, September 20, 2012

All Is Good…..

…I think….

What used to look like this…

IMG_4312

…now looks like this….

IMG_4328

and the neighbors like me.

They

really,

really

do.

No…Seriously,they do.

 

Many have stopped by to say how nice the house looks,these days.

Does that mean it looked like crap,before the reno?

 

But the front garden is worse than ever…..

IMG_4325

IMG_4329

But,soon the weather will be cooling off,

and I shall be reno-ing that garden,too…

Just give me time….

and

$$$$$

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Apologies to the neighbors……

I’m really,really sorry that the front garden looks like this,
these days….

IMG_4311….even I don’t consider a dumpster,on the front lawn,yard art….


….and my side garden looks like this….
IMG_4316

….but….

this house has issues.
Issues that need to be dealt with….

….Soooo…..

….deal with them I shall….

The gutters are off,and new soffit,fascia,
and larger gutters are going up.
IMG_4312The old siding will be coming off,and the whole house will be stuccoed.


….The living room looks like this….
IMG_4313The beam will be faux painted to look like pickled wood.And a new,bigger fan will be installed.


…and this…
IMG_4314The stair case is coming out and will be rebuilt with wrought iron.And new carpet will be installed….


….The dining room….
IMG_4315The window on the left will be replaced with a solid sheet of glass.Never used that window,anyways.

….The office….
IMG_4317New commercial grade carpet will be installed,here.

….And the master bedroom looks like this….
IMG_4319The window will be replaced with glass doors,to lead out to the lanai…

All the furniture is in storage,or in the upstairs bedrooms,but all the electronics are being stored here.
….Gotta remember to be careful in the middle of the night….

So….
neighbors,please don’t talk about the trashy people that live here….
….or how they let the house go….
In due time,it is gonna look better than ever!
I pinky swear I will clean up and replant, the front garden.

Promise.

Plus,the fall veggie garden is in,
and if you want me to share,
you’ll be nice.

or vague…

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Things I just don’t understand….

When I (with my first husband)  first moved to Florida,back in the early 70’s,my Dad warned us that gardening in Florida was not like gardening up North.
 
“It’s not the same.You’ll learn.”
 
We were young.
 
It was the 70’s.
 
We didn’t listen.
 
Who did?
 
He was of that generation,after all.
 
I grew Baby’s Breath,Carnations,Shasta Daisies.He grew 8 foot tomato plants.
What did Dad know?
He really was of that generation…
 
Ahhhh….but how quickly we I learned….
 
Move to a semi rural area.
 
Get a divorce.
 
Try gardening again.
 
Whoa…..
It’s a whole new world!
 
That northern schitt really doesn’t work down here!
 
The plants aren’t behaving like they should.
I know…
….I’ll try Florida natives….
 
They’ll behave…
…..not really…
.
Dad always told me gardening in Florida was just one big experiment.
“Give anything a try.”
”What do you have to lose?”
 
So,with that in mind,this year I have been gardening by the seat of my pants.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A year ago,at this time,TheTree went down.
Leaving the semi-shaded garden in total sun.
Then the old,cracked pool was taken out and rebuilt.
A screened lanai was added,for the most tender of tropicals and orchids.
 
But the garden itself was still left in total sun.
 
What will happen to the shade loving plants?
 
They adapted….
 
….that’s what….
 
A banana,that was bought for it’s foliage…
Was never,ever supposed to produce anything,but beautiful foliage….
is now doing this….
IMG_4291
Camellias (both are natives) now have buds….
IMG_4297
IMG_4298
YellowTop,Flaveria linearis,another Florida native,became a bully in the garden.
So,contrary to popular opinion,in July,I whacked it back.
It was overgrowing everything.
It was even over taking,and choking out,the Jasmine…
 
Now,look at it….
IMG_4284
The azaleas are blooming again….
IMG_4294
IMG_4295What’s up with that?
 
But,already,there are signs of Autumn in the garden….
Bat Faced Cuphea is blooming.
 
I’ve had this one for over two years.I love it!
 
A little early,but in time for Halloween…
IMG_4288
and Stoke’s Aster…
IMG_4286
Hostas are still blooming…
IMG_4293
Gerberas….
IMG_4285go Gators!!!!
 
 
I just figure,for once,I’ll listen to my Dad
 
“The garden is going to go where it wants to go.
Just listen to it.
You don’t own it.
It owns you.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
and besides the garden,Miss Emma just turned two!
emmaturns2
“I’m a big girl,now,Gramma!”
 
I know,Emma.I know……
Please stop growing up so fast…

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