Patience Equals a Great Garden

by Grace
(Danielson, CT USA)

Dear Doug,

I have been receiving your newsletter for a while and really like it. I have a native (think roadside digging) garden with a few exceptions. It is born of a shortfall in the way of cash. I get to watch birds and butterflies just outside my window every morning and evening. It's so much fun. Thanks for the great information.

For the new gardners:

Wait one full year before doing anything-you never know what might appear.

Don't garden in a straight line-curves add mystery to the landscape that sort of pull you along as you go. (They also provide good places to put special plants.)

Amend your soil! If you have trees that shed leaves get a good leaf shredder and chop them up. Use those shredded leaves as you build your beds. They break down into usable compost very quickly.

Use native (wild) plants. They attract more butterflies, more birds and many beneficial insects. They are also more hardy and disease and pest resistant than nursery grown and if you have grassy roadsides like I do they are Free. Design as the season unfolds. That way you will have a garden for all seasons and be able to plant according to height. Always dig a large root ball so the plant doesn't know it's moved until it settles in.

Never dig endangered species. Find a good wildflower source for those. Know your plant thugs (Doug's name for them) and avoid them.

Get a good field guide to your area. (I use one for New England.) It will help you choose wild plants and make your gardening more fun. Mine covers everything that moves or grows in New England.

Add plants a few at a time. You get a better picture of how you want your garden to look.

Have fun! Gardening is supposed to be a labor of love. Good luck and God bless.