Spring Garden Time
For our grandmothers, spring meant the beginning of gardening. Summer gardening included weeding, hoeing, watering. Autumn brought harvest.
Garden time does not have to mean a classic backyard plot with rows of vegetables. Your spring gardening can just be going outside to find the first volunteers of spring. It can be cutting those first early wildflowers to create a display in your favourite vase. Spring Garden Time can mean planting your favourite herbs in beautiful terracotta pots. Or it can just be heading to a farmer’s market to buy those first spring greens.
Just be sure to take advantage of what spring really offers. Outside time, a new start to growing something green.
When you want to keep things authentic follow these suggestions found on “the Google”
First, choose heirloom flowers and vegetables
When you choose heirloom flowers and vegetables for your garden, you’re not just planting; you’re preserving history. These seeds have been passed down through generations. Think of planting sweet peas for their delicate blooms that grandma loved or tomatoes that taste like summer at your grandparents’ house.
Second, Garden like a grandma: classic garden care
Start with the basics: good soil, a bit of planning, and a whole lot of love. Your vegetable garden can become a money pit, or you can keep it frugal and simple. Try these old-fashioned methods for caring for your plants.
Talking to your plants: Yes, it might sound like something out of a fairy tale, but there’s something wonderfully nurturing about chatting with your green friends. It’s about more than carbon dioxide; it’s about connection and care.
Fertilizing with eggshells: Crushed eggshells add calcium to the soil, promoting plant health, especially for tomatoes and peppers. It’s a fantastic way to recycle kitchen waste into something beneficial for your garden.
Using compost for nutrient-rich soil: Before chemical fertilizers, there was compost. Kitchen scraps, yard waste, and even old newspapers can turn into gold for your garden, enriching the soil naturally.
Planting marigolds for pest control: Marigolds are not just pretty; they’re powerhouses when it comes to deterring pests. Planting them around your garden can help keep unwanted visitors at bay, the natural way.
Mulching with straw or grass clippings: Mulch helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, and add nutrients back into the soil as it decomposes. Plus, it’s making the most of what you already have.
Hand-pulling weeds: Before herbicides, there was the trusty old method of getting down and dirty to pull weeds. It’s labor-intensive but incredibly effective and satisfying.
Encouraging beneficial insects: Inviting ladybugs, bees, and other beneficial insects into your garden is a natural way to combat pests and promote pollination.
Pruning with care: The art of pruning by hand, with shears sharpened by your own hand, not only allows for precise cuts but also connects you directly with the growth and health of your plants.
Using natural remedies for plant diseases: Before synthetic fungicides and pesticides, gardeners relied on solutions like baking soda sprays for fungal diseases and hand-picking pests off plants.
We as a society are always looking for ways to make gardening easier and more hands-off. But what we need to do instead, is accept that it’s a lot of work. We need to embrace the work so that it can be enjoyable.
Third, Add nostalgic garden elements
I believe when creating a garden one must put their own personality into it. Yes you can look at magazines, walk then eighbourhood for ideas. tHe finished product should be what you like, who you are, a reflection of your personalitly. With that said, these suggestions for a nostalgic garden are just that, suggestions. These ideas will spark something in your creativity to make it all your own. I enjoy garage sale shopping, second hand store shopping, repurposing and scoring magazines and the internet for more ideas.
Vintage bird baths: A classic stone or metal bird bath not only invites feathered friends into your garden but also adds a timeless elegance. I received one as a gift last Mother’s Day. I have always wanted a blue one. And now I do. Please learn about the proper care of bird baths to keep you and the birds healthy rather than creating a mosquito breeding space. I have tried both wigglers and solar powered water fountains. They were great at the beginning of the season. But neither lasted more than one year.
Rustic garden benches: A weathered wooden bench tucked under a tree or amidst your flowerbeds offers a quaint spot for contemplation and relaxation. I have a bright yellow bench under a gazebo canopy. Big home made pillows on it create a secluded space to take a nap or read.
Wrought iron gates and trellises: Incorporating ornate ironwork adds a romantic, old-world charm to your garden, supporting climbing roses or ivy.
Antique garden tools as décor: Hang old garden tools, like hand rakes, spades, or watering cans, on a fence or shed wall for a touch of rustic flair.
Whimsical wind chimes: Choose wind chimes with a vintage look or melodious tone to add a soothing, auditory element to your garden. I highly recommend Wind River wind chimes. I asked and received for my birthday last December. So melodic. They were ordered on amazon. I like to say that I have a symphony on my front porch.
Classic sundials: A sundial is not only a nod to ancient timekeeping but also serves as an intriguing focal point in garden design.
Old-fashioned lanterns: Scatter lanterns or install lampposts that mimic gas lighting to illuminate paths with a warm, inviting glow. My husband made for me imitation lanterns from wood. I place in them an old glass candle holder, the kind with a lid. In the candle glass I have battery operated fairy lights. They are set to flicker every evening. I really like them. The wood cost next to nothing, as did the repurposed glass candle holder. The batteries and the lights were the big cost.
Stone statues and figurines: Adding statues of cherubs, animals, or mythical creatures among your plants can create enchanting vignettes. My fairies are slowly disappearing. I was given little garden fairies many many years ago for mothers’ Day. Each one represented to me a child of mine. Over the years the weather has taken its toll on them. I think I have two of five remaining. If I remember correctly last autumn I new one may not make it through this summer. So, that means I get to go shopping! More whimsical statues. Let me know where you see some nice ones.
Weathered wooden signs: Hand-paint signs with the names of your garden areas or favorite quotes about nature on reclaimed wood for a personal touch.
Repurposed items as planters: Old teapots, boots, or even bathtubs can be repurposed into unique planters, blending utility with whimsy. My husband created for me a garden ornament from ma chipped teapot. He drilled holes so that the teapot sits on a copper pipe. The teapot is pouring over, but it is my fairy lights that come from the spout! My heart broke when I realized the over sized teacup purchased at the Green Spot two years ago had cracked, no internally combusted. Pieces of it everywhere last autumn. So again, I get to go hunting for the perfect something to be under my teapot.
Many of these suggestions might not line up with what one would see in a what’s trending magazine but who cares. Please, collect and display what you like, who you are so then your garden won’t look like everyone else’s!
My absolute favourite gardening pastime. Sitting on the front porch looking at all the loving things while sipping my tea with my pup at my feet. Spring can be a busy time to get the garden set up. But done right the summer maintenance is kept at a minimum.
I don’t know how much time I will be able to spend in my garden this summer with the Tea Room possibly opening mid June. I am anxiously awaiting the ground to dry, warm up and wonderful thing pop up. I lost two trees last summer, neither on my property but both created a great deal of shade. I need to move my shade loving perennials into a shadier space. Then I need to find someone who will be trust worthy to water my garden as needed June through to October.
Happy Spring gardening! Grandma would be proud of us.
Joanne
