This past weekend, I looked out into my backyard and realized that it was in dire need of some color and life. My zombie maple tree was barely holding on, so I decided to put it out of its misery and find something new to replace it.
A trip to Lowes was in order, where I picked out a whole set of flowers that caught my eye with their vibrant colors and reassuring "annual" tags. Armed with my new botanical arsenal, I set to work "architecting" my new garden.
After three hours of moving things around, sipping coffee, and playing at being a gardening expert, I was eager to show off my handiwork to my wife Mary. Bursting with creative energy, I asked her if she wanted to see the flowers I had picked out.
Her response was less enthusiastic than I had hoped for. "Oh yeah, I saw them from the deck. They're nice...and annual," she said with a smile.
Suddenly, time stopped and my dreams of becoming a master gardener were clouded by the word "annual." It had never occurred to me to double-check the difference between annual and perennial plants. I figured that if it survived for one year, it would keep going indefinitely.
But now, I was faced with the realization that my carefully curated garden might not last beyond the season. I had even considered looking up the difference online, while at the store, but my my stubbornness got the best of me. I didn't want to waste time on my phone when I could be digging holes in the yard.
Inevitably, my lack of research led me back to the store, but fortunately, Mary came along for the ride and saved the day.
Here are the new 'radical self reliant' 🔥 plants:
As you can see from the pictures, I had already dug some holes before realizing my second mistake: I should have laid down the weed barrier before starting to dig. I had to learn this the hard way, but hopefully, my mistake can save you some time and frustration.
But by this point, I was all-in, and there was no going back. So, I soldiered on and started laying the weed barrier backward.
By 5 PM, my friend Scott had finished his workday and was ready to lend a hand. His help was invaluable. Scott not only taught me how to plant the flowers correctly and separate their roots, but he also took charge of doing it for each plant while I sat back, took pictures, and enjoyed a moment of rest.
It was a pleasant change of pace from the digging and hole-making I had been doing all day. Scott's company and expertise made the experience all the more enjoyable.
By the time we finished for the day, we had almost completed everything. We only needed six more bags of mulch to finish the job.
The next day, I went to Lowe's and bought a few more sacks of mulch. With those, I was able to complete the project.
And here are some pictures of the plants I got. I will add more information on each of them at some point in the future.
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