I had a difficult day at work. The type of day that compels me to let out a primal scream in the main hallway after all of the students have been dismissed. I chose to holler at the top of my lungs in my car instead, as though I had been set on fire. Then I drove away from campus to the local garden store. I needed to spend the remainder of the day in the garden.
I knew I needed to decompress in a big way. Retail therapy does not always have the favorable turnout you'd think; buying shoes and clothing that I do not really need can sometimes bring on more stress later. But visiting the garden store with a small, intentional budget, I was able to choose 4 pots of purple daisies that were on sale. Driving home from the shop, the jazz playing quietly through the car stereo speakers, my anxiety slowly began to diminish and my excitement for spending time in my happy place exponentiated as I got closer to home.
Ranunculus add joyful bursts of color to the garden.
I didn't bother to go inside; I carried my plants and other belongings to the yard and immediately got to work. I took a look around the cutting garden and noticed that my ranunculus had all began to die. What happened?! Did they they get too much water, or not enough water? Did they need plant food? Did they need more sunshine? I had so many questions, because my ranunculus added so much color to my garden, and now the beautiful, bright hues were now dull and dried blossoms like thin shreds of tissue paper. It seemed their time had come, their season run as quickly as they arrived, the opulent bursts gone too soon. There had to be a reason.
My ranunculus in the nascent spring was full of beautiful blooms,
perfect for cutting.
As I had researched, I was relieved to know it was not an aberrant thumb that caused my ranunculus to shrivel up and whither away, but the change of the seasons that told them, like Persephone's brief return, that their visit had come to an end. Their time is for the cooler season, around late winter into the earliest of spring. I am in Zone 8ish or 9ish, so they bloom brilliantly for a fast stint and then go back into hibernation, waiting for the next blooming season the following year.
I noticed this from a ranunculus corm that reappeared from last year's planting in a garden near the side of the house. This flower pushed its way out of the mud and grew strong and tall this year, producing five very full flowers in pink and orange. I did not think it would ever grow again, but here it was, showing off among the rose bushes that had just began to bud. Seeing this made me hopeful, and it kicked me into high gear to decide what to do with the ranunculus corms that would be left from these flowers I now witnessed undergoing their own transformation.
Ranunculus are only around for a short part of mid to early spring.
For now, I left most of the plants alone, giving them time to fully run their seasonal course until it is time for them to rest through the year. A few fresh buds were found on a couple of my plants, so I will get a few flowers soon. It is best just to wait until the ranunculus cease flowering, and then, either dig up the corms and store them, or trim the flowers down and let them stay dormant in the ground until next season.
Pots of purple daisies ready to plant.
I picked up a few pots of purple daisies to add the pop of color that was lost from the fading ranunculus. Although the color does not stand out as much, the deep, rich purple is an elegant addition to the landscape. Most of my flowers are purple, anyway.
After I planted and worked on the flowers, I tended to seedlings in the raised beds and in the greenhouse. They sure are growing fast, and I hope to have flowers emerging soon on the zucchini, watermelon and other cucurbits. To my surprise, the carrots I transplanted are growing new, healthy green stems with leaves, and onions are beginning to show their slender shoots.
Last year was quite a struggle with all of these crops, but because I began early in February, it is my hope that my growing season will be significantly extended, and that I will have a bumper crop of healthy fruits and vegetables.
As the sun set, I enjoyed a quiet time in the greenhouse with a cup of tea, and let my thoughts melt into the peace and quiet while candles and fairy lights flickered, transforming the tiny shed into a beautiful lantern from outside. The wind began to bellow up, slightly rattling the panes, but no chill seeped through. It is a cozy respite in the cold and a cool shelter in the heat. All it takes is preparation and creativity to turn this simple dwelling into not only a safe harbor for growing and protecting plants, but a tranquil hangout to sit with a book and listen to your favorite tunes.
A cup and a teapot are always at the ready in the greenhouse.
Twinkle lights add nighttime magic.
Having a garden is the perfect way to care for your peace of mind; when I am tending to my plants, making plans, digging with my hands in the dirt and finding the wonders of growing things, I think of nothing else, for there is no time to do so: All that matters in the garden is the present. From watering thirsty seedlings to finding ways to prevent pests, everything is immediate, yet everything requires patience and waiting. One simply has no time to concern themselves with whatever troubles existed before entering this wonderful place where the clock stands still. People say, they go into the garden to lose their mind and find their soul. I like to say, my garden is the quickest getaway I can ever have. Just by walking through the gate, I am in a new place that seems far away from all of my cares and concerns. The garden is the place where hope lives.
Do you have a garden? What is happening there as spring changes begin?How is your garden your private getaway? Share in the comments below!
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| Ranunculus add joyful bursts of color to the garden. |
I didn't bother to go inside; I carried my plants and other belongings to the yard and immediately got to work. I took a look around the cutting garden and noticed that my ranunculus had all began to die. What happened?! Did they they get too much water, or not enough water? Did they need plant food? Did they need more sunshine? I had so many questions, because my ranunculus added so much color to my garden, and now the beautiful, bright hues were now dull and dried blossoms like thin shreds of tissue paper. It seemed their time had come, their season run as quickly as they arrived, the opulent bursts gone too soon. There had to be a reason.
 |
| My ranunculus in the nascent spring was full of beautiful blooms, perfect for cutting. |
I noticed this from a ranunculus corm that reappeared from last year's planting in a garden near the side of the house. This flower pushed its way out of the mud and grew strong and tall this year, producing five very full flowers in pink and orange. I did not think it would ever grow again, but here it was, showing off among the rose bushes that had just began to bud. Seeing this made me hopeful, and it kicked me into high gear to decide what to do with the ranunculus corms that would be left from these flowers I now witnessed undergoing their own transformation.
 |
| Pots of purple daisies ready to plant. |
I picked up a few pots of purple daisies to add the pop of color that was lost from the fading ranunculus. Although the color does not stand out as much, the deep, rich purple is an elegant addition to the landscape. Most of my flowers are purple, anyway.
After I planted and worked on the flowers, I tended to seedlings in the raised beds and in the greenhouse. They sure are growing fast, and I hope to have flowers emerging soon on the zucchini, watermelon and other cucurbits. To my surprise, the carrots I transplanted are growing new, healthy green stems with leaves, and onions are beginning to show their slender shoots.
As the sun set, I enjoyed a quiet time in the greenhouse with a cup of tea, and let my thoughts melt into the peace and quiet while candles and fairy lights flickered, transforming the tiny shed into a beautiful lantern from outside. The wind began to bellow up, slightly rattling the panes, but no chill seeped through. It is a cozy respite in the cold and a cool shelter in the heat. All it takes is preparation and creativity to turn this simple dwelling into not only a safe harbor for growing and protecting plants, but a tranquil hangout to sit with a book and listen to your favorite tunes.
 |
| A cup and a teapot are always at the ready in the greenhouse. |
 |
| Twinkle lights add nighttime magic. |
Having a garden is the perfect way to care for your peace of mind; when I am tending to my plants, making plans, digging with my hands in the dirt and finding the wonders of growing things, I think of nothing else, for there is no time to do so: All that matters in the garden is the present. From watering thirsty seedlings to finding ways to prevent pests, everything is immediate, yet everything requires patience and waiting. One simply has no time to concern themselves with whatever troubles existed before entering this wonderful place where the clock stands still. People say, they go into the garden to lose their mind and find their soul. I like to say, my garden is the quickest getaway I can ever have. Just by walking through the gate, I am in a new place that seems far away from all of my cares and concerns. The garden is the place where hope lives.
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