Time To Smell The Flowers
A garden is one of the joys of homeownership. Ironically every home I have owned has had no garden. So I became an avid DIY gardener with some gardening skills that I had learned from my mom.
I am particularly fond of perennial gardens as they grow and expand every year. Because I have changed locations frequently in the past 20 years, the challenge was making my two-year-old garden look like a five-year-old one without spending a fortune.
When I purchased my last home in Little Portugal 5 years ago, it had 2 Lilac trees and a stunning hedge of Roses of Sharon, which is extremely popular in the neighbourhood. Not much to work with, but these trees are in my favourite palette of colours which is lavender.
I created and planted a 5’ deep x 50’ border all around my backyard fence with my favourite flowers — I added lilac bushes, Siberian iris, rhododendron, tulips, lavender, Russian sage, Rudbeckia, echinacea, daisies, pink and white phlox and my new favourite, roses. Primarily pinks, white, lavender and yellows that flower at different times in the spring, summer and fall. Put your tall flowers at the back of your fence and the shorter ones near the front. I like to plan the garden so that sections explode in colour, shapes and sizes at different times of the year.
If you move a lot, you need a few tricks to make your perennial garden look ten years old. First, plant your perennials closer to each other. I like to pack them in to have a whole garden of blooming flowers the second summer. If they get too big, I split them and move them around. While your garden is growing, you can add annual flowers to fill it in. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
There’s no doubt that landscaping adds curb appeal to your property, bringing great joy. If you’re looking for a hobby that will provide exercise and emotional pleasure and add value to your property, gardening is all-in-one. I walk the border of my yard every morning in the Summer and Fall to examine which buds and flowers have popped up.
