ROSEMARY THYMES | 16
The Ancient Horticulturist: Needs vs. Wants by Susan Broussard
of choice. The slow pace gives you time to survey your garden, mentally taking note of its needs and wants. Leaves need to be raked. Weeds need to removed. Mulch needs to spread. Plants need to be planted. While lowering your blood pressure and enjoying your favorite beverage, you have identified a starting point. A place marker for what you need to attack. Let me soften that approach. A place marker for what you want to kick into compliance.
A
S YOU RELAX either on the beach or your front porch, I hope your mind is melding with the sounds wafting through Rosemary Beach. I’m sure your mind isn’t planning your spring cleaning chores.
Spring cleaning is a phrase that brings to mind the beating of dusty rugs and Windexing of grimy windows. Neither of which is fun. Productive, but not fun. For me, the thought of spring cleaning guides me into the garden, and that is
wondrously enjoyable. Let it be said, my house is on its own. Dust bunnies do not fear me, and I do not seek them out. In fact, I fear them. They have grown into ravenous cowsized dust rabbits. Therefore, I retreat to the outdoors. There are always a multitude of tasks needing completion in the garden this time of year. Where to begin? First on the list is a walkabout through your garden. Take stock. Stroll through your yard with a morning cup of coffee, an afternoon glass of iced tea, an evening goblet of wine, or a Bloody Mary (any time of day will do). Do not walk fast so as to not slosh your liquid
Before planting, clean out or cover up the weeds. If your garden is small enough, pulling the unwanted plants is the easiest procedure. If you have a larger garden or a plethora of offending plants, mulching may be the way to go keeping the weeds at bay. Mulching can cover a larger area. If you are raking up leaves in your yard, don’t bag and throw away. Push the leaves into your flower beds. No nearby trees to provide that free mulch? There are several choices of mulch for sale, but if you are choosing between pine bark and pine straw, go with the pine straw. My bug lady (Yes, I said bug lady) points out that pine straw does not harbor termites where as pine bark will. Termites are not allowed near my home. I definitively choose pine straw. However before I distribute the pine straw, I lay down a layer of newsprint. Since we support and receive a copy
of our local newspaper every morning, there is a continuous supply. The mulch and newsprint will eventually break down adding organic matter to the bed. Once the beds are weeded and mulched, it’s time to clear out the inventory of the plants that have been hoarded in black plastic pots behind the garage. I’m pretty sure the plants are half dead after living in the confinement of black plastic for anywhere from a few months fo a few years. Do them a favor. Find that perfect spot while on your walkabout. Remember to check the growing requirements. Does it need shade, sun or something in between? Does it need eight inches or eight feet between plants? Audition the plants in their prospective place. Do the eye test making sure the color combinations are pleasing to look at. Planting bright orange nasturtium and neon pink petunia mix side by side may not be the look you want in your garden. Even though they have the same planting requirements, do they really need to be next to each other? Think flaming redhead wearing bright pink lipstick. Maybe that redhead would look better in bright pink shoes instead of fuchsia lips. Put some space and a coordinating hue between the clashing colors. There are several books written on plant combinations, so my suggestion is to head to the library for inspiration.
