I was broken into late last summer (3 times in 6 weeks-same kids who are gone now) and I just completely gave up dealing with my patio, plants and all. I let everything go to pot. The only thing I did was bring in my brugmansia for the winter.
Well, I bought some hosta liners and potted them up. The only place for me to put them was the patio. I went out and started cleaning up, broken glass, neighbors trash (renting town home type apartment), plant debris, dirt etc. The pots had clover and weeds all in them. The only survivors I had were the Heuchera Palace Purple, a green heuchera and the daylilies. I poked around all of the other pots and found the desicated husks from glads, lilies, dahlias and caladiums. So...I get to start from scratch!
It did feel good to go out there and not be upset. I feel kind of bad that I let things go but everytime I went out there I could feel my heart rate go up and got a kind of helpless feeling--I imagine it was some kind of form of depression. Glad That's over with:LOL:
I get to start from scratch on the back patio...
Well it's an invasion, maybe not as itense as rape, but feels like you've been violated when somebody breaks in and does damage, especially to a garden you've put yourself into. Good for you for being able to get beyond what happened. Are you worried that it will happen again if you plant more things out there?
It's funny because at the time it happened I came off all "tough guy" about it, saying things like "Oh, it's only stuff, no biggie--at least the short furry people are OK", but later when I actually had to go out and try to deal with the mess on the patio, well, I just walked away and ignored it.
I've been on a buying spree through co-ops and have tons of seed from trades so I'll be getting back into things. Have no idea what I'll be planting but I'm sure it will be interesting! Oh, and T&M has their seeds 1/2 price at their website if anyone was looking for anything.
Donna
Donna - sorry about the kids with too much time on their hands and a total lack of respect for the property of others.
Are you looking for ideas, plants, containers, design? Some photos would be great.
Donna, planting and nurturing -- what a perfect evolution from your despair. I sense a really strong recovery for you. Aren't you glad you're a gardener!?
You and your brug: survivors!
Hi pirl, thanks for the sympathy:) I haven't put much real thought into what I'll be doing in the back. I went on a hosta binge so the liners I got are potted up and I'm trying to grow them up a bit. The daylilies are just so so this year so I may pull them up and divide if they need it and amend the soil a bit. I've got a bunch of asiatic lilies in the fridge, a lot of glads, some new daylilies on the way and I'm going to direct sow some annuals.
andycdn, that's a nice way to think about it:) Had another little set back today. New kids, new issues and idle hands during summer break. All of the flowers from my glads and 15 orange asiatic lilies in the front garden were torn from the plants and thrown on the ground/parking area. I didn't even get mad...I guess I just feel very sorry for those children who are so bored and uninspired that destroying something beautiful is entertaining. There will be something else blooming soon so I'll look forward to seeing that:LOL:
You have a great attitude and the patience of a few saints.
Oh, I have tantrums:LOL: Just chose not to today:LOL: I think I've developed some personal restraint from working in retail for the past 20 years;) Not all the time but when it works, it is a real blessing!