The Winter is Past. Time to Garden.

The first time I visited the gardens of Winterpast, I knew I wanted to be the one to tend to her. Each day, I do something in the yard. Winter is a great time to dream of spring plantings. Haven’t we all fallen for the sweetest blooms at the nursery, only to find the place we chose to plant it wasn’t right? So frustrating in the expensive times in which we live today. If you live in a spot where things grow on their own, feel lucky. The desert is unforgiving. Brutal. Crisp.

Summer is the time I gasp at the water bill. Looking at an aerial view through Google Maps, Winterpast is readily identified. It’s the only green yard in the subdivision. California green. Every square inch is planned, and tended. Well. Some people have fancy cars. Some travel. Some have walls of shoes. I have an oasis in the desert. With that being said, the water bill is still a little painful.

The things that love growing here are thick-skinned and thorny. Just once, I’d love to have a burst of color growing along the paths. Blooms of the most delicate types. Ferns, knee deep and lush. But, I need to be glad the roses are doing well this spring. That’s about the extent of my success with blooming plants. Low humidity, high heat, and poor soil don’t produce the best blooms.

A beautiful flower garden is a work of art. God must have been in an exceptionally cheery mood the day he thought them up. They must be his way of laughing. Last night, at a birthday party for a new girlfriend, I sat with a florist. Every day, she lives in the land of flowers as she creates beautiful floral arrangements for special occasions. Somehow the magic of flowers stays with her even when she isn’t at the shop. People need flowers. Flowers nourish our very souls.

The trees of Winterpast all have their own personalities. This year, my banyan-like apricot tree is struggling. She just can’t die. Not on my watch. Her long limbs are struggling to produce leaves, and at this point, I might need to call in an arborist. Ace mentioned that some limbs are too low to walk under. At 5’5″, they hang at just the right height for me. Perfect for picking a stray apricot on an early summer morning. Being the largest apricot tree I’ve ever seen, it’s obvious she’s struggling. It’s up to me to keep her alive.

Gardening requires planning, work, and upkeep. Plants need to be staked until they grow strong and tall, struggling through the forces of the desert heat and wind. Roses need to be fertilized and trimmed. Gravel needs to be replaced and bark replenished. The only sure thing is that the weeds continue to grow. Especially those with thorns like needles.

These days, Oliver is finding it nice to bask in the morning sun. He hasn’t eaten a plastic solar light in over a year now. The emitters hold no more fascination for him. He still protects the fence with his ferocious bark, even though it’s only the next door neighbor. To Oliver, it is some fantastical beast that could come eat us at any moment. Ollie finally likes his back yard as much as I do.

Gardening gives me time to attend to my own internal struggles. Thriving in the Nevada sunshine, I still need pruning, straightening, and correction on a daily basis. Weeding out negativity, I try to replant with optimism and forgiveness. Somedays, those wilt just like the Johnny Jump Up’s I planted last week. But, slowly, I’m making progress in improving myself one step at a time.

So, even if it’s only in a pot on the back porch, plant something. Gardens flourish with love and care, just like we do. Enjoy!!

More tomorrow.