Last Few Hours at the Senior Center Garden

In the spring, 

at the end of the day, 

you should smell like dirt.

~ Margaret Atwood

Tools - I don't think I took my gloves off until later.

The yuccas

I ventured out to do my last bit of work in the Senior Center Garden today. It seems to me that this is the third year of my work in this garden. And now, as my time is filled with other things and I cannot commit to weeding, digging, pruning, mulching, and sweating in even one extra garden, I'm handing it off to (hopefully) a committee of people who will take ownership, plan, and keep the beds in better order than I have.

Right now there are large Texas Sages, yellow trailing lantana, blue salvia, and cannas (not my choice). I tried to choose easy (minimal work), drought tolerant and temperature hardy plants. It's been an overall success. Seriously, the plants have grown almost too well and required more pruning than I might have hoped.* But they have graced the place with color from early spring though the fist hard freeze - not bad. I think we have had to replace a salvia or two when the cold weather became too much.

Whatever. 

Here is the list for today:

1 gardener

1 dog

6 flowerbeds

I straw hat

3 pruning tools (you never know which will work best)

1 hand weeder/cultivator

2 garden gloves (this day would be messy)

1 contractor's trash bag

1 bottle of water

1 bowl (Z needed a drink)

2 rescued yuccas

lunch (1/2 pimento cheese sandwich, 1/2 chicken salad sandwich, handful of red grapes**

2 hours

At the end of the two hours, we had lost our shade so it was time to stop for the day. We had trimmed the plants and pulled all the large weeds, filled one trash bag, moved two yuccas from their bed, *** visited with folks coming and going, and planned the last hour or so that's still needed (low weeds and grass will need a tool I didn't bring). 

Someone else is supposed to mulch it all - perhaps tomorrow if we have no rain.

I remember the first time I saw pollinators visiting the flowers and the first time the Texas sage burst into its purple bloom.

It's been grand, but it is definitely time for others to plan the future of this small garden.

NOTES:

* I had no idea these shallow raised beds with a western exposure (read that sun beating down entirely too long) would be such a welcoming spot for those plants. All of the beds rest on the same pavement as the parking lot, so it is a very shallow growing space.

** The center was having lunch inside so I snagged something on the way out.

*** Someone ran into the brick planter that is part of what used to be a covered drive at the front door. Two small yuccas needed to be moved temporarily while the structure is rebuilt and painted. I cut through the roots and lifted the plants in what turned out to be a messy embrace (grateful for the gloves as these plants will slice you up if you aren't careful). 

I'll repot them and keep them at home until it's time to replant. They are "pups" of a "mother" yucca I've had for probably 25 years or more so. It feels a bit like they are coming home for a visit.