The weekend was just gorgeous - perfect weather. Never too hot, never too cool... just clear blue skies with an occasional wispy cloud... the kind of weather that makes gardeners get outside. Now, don't be fooled. I don't consider myself any kind of real "gardener". I'm a chick that loves flowers and growing things, even though at times my thumb is most assuredly black.
I would love to be one of those lucky souls that just have an innate ability to make things grow like crazy... my dad can put a half dead twig in the ground and in two weeks... voila... a beautiful plant. How does he DO that?
Me? I have a few plants that have been with me for a while, but I need tolerant foliage. I need flowers that practically take care of themselves. I need low maintenance plants. I happen to adore roses. Always have. They are beautiful, the ones that aren't over-hybridized (that may be a new word, but you get what I mean) smell really good... and they make me happy. I would fill the house with cut flowers constantly if I could grow them well enough to keep up.
I've always wanted an herb and vegetable garden, but I know I don't have the time to invest in it. If I weren't required to work all day, I'm sure I could... but hey, the bills have to get paid. Maybe someday when I find a ridiculously rich sugar-daddy that just wants to support me while I dance, garden, play music and buy sexy lingerie, I'll be able to do that. I cook really well, too, so that might be a good bargaining chip. LOL Back to the point...
In the lovely weather yesterday, I visited my local garden center (photo above - taken with my cell phone). I picked up loads of flowers... Impatiens, Daisies, Marigolds, Verbena, Moss Roses... I thought I'd gotten purslane, but evidently not. I also got herbs... Sage, Dill, Thyme, Oregano and Basil. And then... I saw the roses. *sigh*
I got two varieties - Mr. Lincoln and Hot Cocoa. The Lincolns smell SOOOOOO good... lovely red blooms. The hot cocoas don't have as sweet or strong a scent, but they are this inredible russety/cinnamon color with a red center... wow, they're just lovely. Here's a pic (I'm diggin' this new cell phone camera):
The damn things scratched me but good when I was picking out the ones I wanted... trust that I wouldn't go for the easy to reach one on the edge... oh NOOOOOooooooo... I had to get one 3 plants back, that required moving the others and getting bloody from thorn scratches. No pain, no gain, right??? Sooo... the flowers, herbs and 200lbs of soil, and I'm outta there... after, of course, I wandered around for an hour just ooh-ing and aaahhh-ing over the flowers, wishing i could just go home and turn my entire yard into a flower bed.
Anyway, today I finished teaching class and went to Home Depot to pick up a few remaining items. Oh, I forgot to take extra clothes, so I was walkin' around Home Depot like a chocolate tart in my skin tight, brown spandex, gold flower-design-on-the-left-leg bellydance pants with attached chiffon half skirt and brown spaghetti strap camisole... but I was NOT going out again once I got in the house, so it was go or go home. Yeah, I got a few looks... but they were all attached to smiles, so what the hell. A couple were blatant chest checks, which I found damned funny when the lookers realized they'd been caught in the act. I just smiled right back... I thought about doing a shoulder shimmy at 'em, but didn't want to cause a scene. LOL
I got the things I needed, and came home, changed into shorts and a tank top and was ready to bust some gardening ass. Problem One. Not enough potting soil. Big containers. Couldn't get everything planted today. But, that's not too difficult to remedy. I got the herbs and the Impatiens potted, so there. Problem Two. I couldn't get a freaking hole dug in the ground to save my life. There must be some sort of manly trick to digging holes that my female genes simply don't contain. I used a big 10-tine fork and a shovel, and couldn't even get below the damned grass. I'm a wimp. Despite my chest-puffing I AM WOMAN routine, I can't dig a damned hole in the ground. I STOOD on the shovel, jumped up and down... wiggled side to side... jumped again... nothing. Good thing I wasn't in the front yard... it would have been quite a humorous show for anyone walking by. I even tried soaking the ground a bit to see if that would help... evidently I didn't do it long enough.
So, no roses planted. DAMN IT. I need a shovel-wielding, testosterone-ridden, manly, macho type... which believe me, I do NOT like to admit. I suppose a manlier woman than I might also suffice, but I ain't got one 'o those, either. Hopefully it will rain this evening, since it's now cloudy and overcast... which will soften the ground enough for me to get these damned things in the ground. Other than that, I'm going to have to see if the yard guys can do it... how silly that I have to ask them!!!
Hmmm.. my son has just arrived home and is going to see if HE is more successful. He is male, therefore he should have the gene. Keep your fingers crossed, people - I WANT these roses planted!!!
One hour later.... SUCCESSS!! The boy can DIG!!! Not only did he dig the holes for my rosebushes, but he dug an extra so that I could put my formerly potted hibiscus in the ground. Long Live the Boy King!!! I'll even take that as my Mother's Day present a week early, since I know he won't remember next weekend... LOL.
