A VERY SPECIAL PLACE

What makes a place special?  I don’t really know.  I do know I love my deck.  As I sit here in the filtered sunlight, with the warm breeze surrounding me I can survey the kingdom of my backyard and parts of my neighbors’ yards.  The fragrance of spring is gone but there are different scents.  New mown grass has a fragrance all its own which always evokes memories: memories mingled with newly baked bread at Gramma’s house, of the first time the grass was mowed at our first house, of the first time we let our child mow alone while I nervously watched from behind the curtains.

My herbs reside on my deck, each in its own pot.  Brushing against one pot or the other sets off a special scent; sweet, tangy, pungent.   I especially like the thyme and oregano.  This year I started using thyme in my mixed flower pots also.

Shrub roses were prolific this year.  They bloomed late and all at once giving quite a display.  Some won’t bloom again this season.  If spent blossoms were/are removed some will keep having a few flowers all through the summer.  Some, after resting during the hotter months will have a burst of blossoms in the fall.

I have no roses on the deck this summer ‘cause I moved them all to one place - the garden in theNfront of the house.   It has taken my miniature roses a long time to acclimate to their new location.  They are now starting to bloom.   Roses like consistency.  The weather has not been consistent, thus I who needed to cultivate, feed, water, spray have not been very consistent either.  Now the Japanese Beetles are out and about.  This provides another deterrent for any beautiful blooms, large or small. Japanese Beetles will destroy most anything but they seem to be partial to fragrant roses and to the lighter shades, white, cream and pale pinks.

Neglect has been the theme of my gardens this season.   Weeds have appeared that I have never seen before.  They must have roots 18 inches deep and runners everywhere underground chasing one another all around my yard.

My little garden finally got planted. The rabbits didn’t have a chance this year due to a fence that was erected even before the plants came up.  Then I got busy, was gone.  When I rested on my deck in the evening I could see the plants coming up, getting bigger.  Little did I realize mostly what I was seeing were weeds!  Finally, I got the weeds out.  Now I can see all the blossoms.  The cucumbers are forming, the beans will need picking, soon there will be squash and tomatoes.  It is amazing what a little care can make happen.  The lettuce in the lettuce bowl has been productive for a couple of weeks and will continue for some time.  It lives on the deck, just outside the kitchen door.  What a convenience; another reason for lovin’ my deck.

My deck isn’t fancy or big but it is a very special place.  Here in the shade of the contorted willow I can enjoy a cold drink, relax, imagine gardens without weeds and dream other fantastic dreams.