Several years ago, we planted a Three Sisters Garden, a symbol really, of women’s commitment to each other. The idea came from Native-American gardeners. We planted beans, corn and squash. The corn never really took her and we don’t eat all that much beans or squash.
So we decided to plant a “practical garden,” salad greens, tomatoes, beans, zucchini, cucumbers, Brussel sprouts and snap peas. Maria put a fence around it to keep the rabbits out, I brought a wheelbarrow full of donkey manure (a year old) to mix with the soil.
There is something very special about growing your own food, and I am the Chief Waterer around here, I’ll make sure the garden is well nourished.
Tomorrow, we replant the Dahlia garden, maybe drive around in search of Mexican food.
Jon, I’m glad you are becoming realistic about gardening. When my husband and I were first married, we planted a half-acre garden, literally everything from asparagus to zucchini, but we had growing children to feed. That was then; this is now. I just replanted asparagus, which will last us for the rest of our lives; we have four rhubarb plants (my grandmother’s), blackberries, red raspberries and strawberries. These are the permanent plantings. Mark plants sweet corn and I plant tomatoes. That’s it. There are so many Amish and Old Order Mennonites in our area that have truck gardens with vegetables for sale at their farms, that there is no need to do more. In our mid-70s, we are finally getting sane! I wish the same feeling of relaxation and enjoyment for you and for Maria with your gardening. Now, I plant roses and perennials instead of a lot of vegetables. We can’t eat them, but they give me a lot of pleasure, just as your dahlias do for you. Now, I am going to pick some strawberries for lunch before I get rained out.