Spring has just sprung and I already have a back ache from yanking out weeds! Twenty years ago, I could pull weeds all day, sit back on the front porch afterwards and admire a job well done. Hah, no longer! Now, after one week in the yard, I require at least a neck rub and a tall one! To add insult to injury, the Fort Knox I built this winter to keep gophers out now must now be refortified against the ground squirrels. If I win any of the battles against these critters, this season's tomato plants will be worth more than gold!
To hear my neighbor's complaints, I am not alone. Why on Earth do we do this?! Anyone with soil under their nails knows the answer. And, to judge by the gardens I see in our 'hood every day, there are a LOT of folks with dirty fingernails lately! Mt Helix is home to some painstakingly eclectic and captivating gardens. I love walking around our semi rural roads and chatting up my neighbors working in their front yards. Even better, I love hearing what they've got growing in the back. With the escalating water rates, many have xeriscaped. Others have koi ponds with pumps relying on photovoltaic panels. I have seen tortoises, pygmy goats, Rhode Island Reds and Leghorns. One neighbor's backyard is even certified habitat by the National Federation of Wildlife! Wow!
The month of May is especially fun for gardeners because, if you are a member of GMIA , you are invited to participate in their Annual Garden Tour. It's a members only tour of 4-5 showcase gardens in the Mt Helix area. On one garden tour a few years back, we were privileged to see a beautifully landscaped 4-acre parcel complete with a pond and 125 solar panels! Strolling through 4 acres makes you realize what a fabulous neighborhood we have here in Mt Helix. All of the homes are on at least 1/2 acre and the community character that comes from having space (and the back muscles to landscape it!) is something to be treasured. I can't wait to see what is showcased this year on the tour and maybe, just maybe, next year mine will be ready for others to see!