Growing Things

Wildflowers in the sun.

My morning glory is thriving. Spring rains and sunlight are working wonders. Unfortunately, it crushed its makeshift trellis and took it to the ground. Hardly surprising. The trellis consists of an old wire Christmas deer, a bit of excess wire fence, and garden stakes driven into the ground. Hardly high-end stuff. I like the morning glories, and I should do better by them. It will involve digging and cutting, but I’m up for it.

Meanwhile, the Texas red honeysuckle has climbed the east facing fence and is pouring over the backside to soak up the western sun, and it’s blooming. That makes me and the hummingbirds happy. It’s been a long, strange journey for that honeysuckle. It fought with the morning glory for the longest time and the two departed apple trees, before finding it’s place in the sun this season. I believe it finally decided I wasn’t going to dig it up and move it, and it better get on with living.

It’s most rewarding to have plants do well after a struggle. My garden is full of such examples. The coral sage took forever to establish itself, I worried about the pink turks caps, too, and oh, my word, the effort that went into the new trees. That’s a tale all its own. But all’s well and you’d never recognize the landscape from old pictures. I guess with most things young and struggling all you need is patience and love and usually things will work out. Of course, sometimes the opposite happens and when it does you’re sorry for the loss, second guess yourself, and try to move ahead as best you can.

John W Wilson

Gatewood Press is a small, family owned press located in the Hill Country of Texas.

http://www.gatewoodpress.com
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Thirty Gallons

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Circle of Life