flourishing green space is clearly not mulch
ado about nothing.
working in the soil, that she wets her plants.
nurseries and catalogues or were given to her by friends and
neighbors.
pruning, digging, weeding and most importantly, keeping the
neighborhood deer from using her hostas as a lunchtime salad
bar.
practical botany classes while at the University of Michigan. Her
favorite hangout was the U of M greenhouse where she quickly
became buds with a variety of plants.
backyard beds brimming with flora and I knew I had found my
home," she says. "Like a painter, I was eager to fill the outdoor
spaces with all kinds of plants that contained gorgeous colors
and designs."
strawberries, asparagus, blueberries, raspberries and is
cultivating a climbing espalier apple tree.
intentionally seeded her front lawn with microclover, which
does not brown out as easily as grass, acts as its own fertilizer, is
low maintenance and adds a boost to the honeybee population.
She also uses a push reel mower to cut her lawn rather than an
environmentally polluting gas-powered mower.
have become her friends. "I enjoy sharing what I know about
gardening and it's so nice to have sparked an interest in others
in this wonderful hobby," she says.
meditation. When I step outside and get to work I am at total
peace. I never cease to be amazed by the wonders of nature
and the beauty of so many varieties of flowers. I have learned so
much from my garden especially the rewards of being patient.
You can't fool Mother Nature, or rush her either. My philosophy
is, life is a garden dig it."