Every spring for close to twenty years, we have created what we consider to be our red, white, and blue display in the flower bed. It's usually made of petunias, with the darkest purple ones standing in for union blue. Once or twice I've mixed it up a little. This year, I've represented a different country, and while it was on my mind, it went out first. I was shopping with Valerie, ready to go nuts at the plant nurseries, when my eye was caught by bright yellow African daisies and deep blue lobelias. (I'd been trying to remember the word "lobelia" for a week.) I can get around to an Americana display in the yard. For now my porch resounds with a deep, hearty "Slava Ukraini!"
We went to two different garden centers, Val and I. We started at the big local nursery, and we walked around for an hour. For the most part, she was well-behaved, not going far when she needed to roam. She didn't complain about anything. After we picked out several herbs and a few fresh Terra cotta pots, I rewarded her by letting her pick out a wind chime to go on my porch where she can tap it on her way in, just like she does at home. She was also super good for me at Lowe's, being very patient while I grabbed a few other herbs, and hunted down those celery plants I'd seen two days ago (already moved and mostly picked through). I selected two eggplant seedlings, as she is on her way to being a vegetarian like her daddy. These are handy to have around for family meals. And while I struggled to maneuver the cart around the pot section (not the Colorado kind), she helped me notice a stacking pot perfect for all the herbs we bought.
Once Little Miss Energy went home, I set my phone to play a two hour show I had recorded, and immediately planted the herbs and flowers. (Veggies can wait.) My back got sore, my face felt massively burned, and my energy was completely drained, but I persevered, and got it all done, including sweeping up spilled dirt and watering everything in. I even potted two houseplants I'd bought a couple months back that had been slowly drying out because I was reluctant to water them where they sat.
I've left a little space for more herbs in the stackable, but for the most part, I consider that done. I'll get some Thai basil (neighbor A's suggestion), and see whether Mr S-P wants any specific ones. It's so weird to have it completed this early. Nothing got left on the porch in plastic to dry out or tip over in wind. I can't wait to have my porch smell like basil and rosemary all the time.
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