Like many former apartment dwellers, my first priority after closing on my house was tackling the garden. Never mind that the house had been left abandoned for more than a year and was in need of just about everything from a thorough cleaning to new appliances—I was determined to let my garden grow.
Armed with optimism, naiveté and a complete lack of any know how whatsoever, I plunked down hundreds of dollars on miscellaneous flora. Not surprisingly, the results were disastrous. The hibiscus needed to be replanted half a dozen times before it decided it would rather be dead than at my mercy. The mint seized an entire 20-foot flowerbed; the cilantro was too bitter to eat.
Though I was tempted to admit defeat and just hire a gardener, this year I decided to get smart. I did my research. I learned the difference between annuals and perennials, shrubs and trees, zones 1 and 10. Instead of investing in a cacophony of plants, I figured out what would work best in my area, discovered what I liked, and went for it.
Among the new players I selected for my garden: sweet broom, lavender, breath of heaven and hanging rosemary. I went for them because they are all hardy, full-sun plants that have color and a little bit of fragrance. Plus, they can all tolerate poor soil conditions (I didn’t have my soil tested but should have) and little moisture. One thing I did learn last season: I’m not the best at watering.
Step 1
The first thing I did was pull up any remaining weeds or plants that had been left behind. You’ll notice from the photos that there was some rosemary that was actually still alive. Still, it had to go. Besides, I bought another variety this time—this kind is supposed to hang over the flowerbed. (We’ll see)
Step 2
Next, I tilled the soil using a shovel and a lot of elbow grease. This was definitely the most exhausting part of the process. Once it was mixed up thoroughly, I added some high-quality garden soil made especially for shrubs and kept mixing until I could barely lift my arms over my head.
Step 3
Now it was time for the fun part—deciding where my plants were going to go. I discovered that I had actually bought too many plants for the flowerbed in the picture. The shrubs are expected to grow about 3-4 feet, so I needed to leave some room. Luckily, I have other flowerbeds that are empty; the extras went into those the next day.
Step 4
After I had arranged the plants to my liking, I dug my holes and cut away the plastic pots. My mom, the expert gardener, told me to massage the bottom of the plant to expose the roots. This makes it easier for the plants to take to their new home.
Step 5
Once the transplanting was complete, I was almost done! I was ready to lay the wood chips. Upon closer inspection of the bag, I discovered the wood chips were not supposed to be used for flowerbeds but rather for potted plants. I put them down anyway because I thought they looked better than the dirt.
Step 6
Finally, I watered. Then I called it a day.
Stay tuned for updates. We’ll see if this garden gal has a black or a green thumb after all.
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