Gardening with Mom

My mom has been feeling blue lately, probably because spring weather has made her homesick for her home in Kansas. My sister suggested bringing her to my house at least one day a week, to get her away from her apartment, and to give her something to look forward to. So I asked Mom if she would like to help me in my flower garden today, and she was delighted with the idea!

The day was cloudy and threatened rain, but it held off until this evening, when we were finished. We brought her little cairn terrier Chuy with us, and he had a ball playing in the yard.

First, we planted the four Better Boy tomato plants. Then we started cleaning out the flower bed, digging up as many canna lily bulbs as we could find because I am tired of them and they are trying to take over my garden. We planted day lilies, hollyhocks, four o'clocks, impatiens and begonias. I told her that there is no rhyme nor reason to my garden--I just plant what I think looks pretty or whatever people give to me. :o) Most of the plants are pretty old-fashioned.

I trimmed back the turk's cap, esperanza (yellow bells) and a big old asparagus fern. Then we moved to the patio, where I moved all of my potted plants into their places for the spring and summer and planted some cilantro and a frosty pink brug. I can't wait until that flowers.

I was surprised at Mom's gardening abilities. She showed me how to use a sharpshooter shovel, got down on her hands and knees to plant and dig, and kept up with me in every way. We were tired at the end of the afternoon, but we agreed that it was a "good tired." I'm sure we'll both sleep well tonight.