I started junking only about 10 years ago, and mostly because I needed a new hobby. My first love was gardening, but I had gardened so enthusiastically that I kind of wrecked my back, and my body needed a break. (Also several rounds of steroid injections, but nobody wants to hear about that.) It took a few years to get back into shoveling and raking form, and once I was, I faced a conflict. Should I junk, or should I garden? This season, I haven't faced that conflict at all. The only sales I've gone to are ones I happened to pass on the way to a greenhouse. All I want to do is garden.
Here's the view out my bedroom window. It's the herb bed, the first thing I look at when I get out of bed. I took this photo (dangling out an open window) about 10 days ago, and I think everything has doubled in size since then.
But it's come a long way from a month ago. (I can't believe that was only a month ago. I think this is why gardening can be so great.)
The frigid weather last winter had a peculiar effect all around our property. Some plants that seemed indestructible, like lemon balm, died off. Other plants, like some annual dianthus that shouldn't have come back, are lush with second-year growth.
Okay, maybe this is why gardening is so great.
Some of the hardy geraniums came back. Some of them didn't. At any rate, the hit-and-miss destruction required overhauling lots of beds, and that was awesome. A chance to correct previous mistakes, as well as a chance to make new ones.
The chamomile seeded itself. Instead of having enough for one cup of tea, I may have enough for two cups of tea this year.
Feverfew is a self-sower, too. I bought one packet of seeds back in my old days of gardening, and I've never needed to buy it again. I love enthusiasm! I love free plants!
This is the first time I've grown this - Centella asiatica, or gotu kola. Apparently it cures everything and can be eaten as a salad green. I bought it because it fit my requirements and it was pretty.
I've always liked going to greenhouses, not just for the plants, but for the ideas. At one greenhouse I saw a wooden box planted with herbs, and I liked it so much I checked the price tag, and thankfully, because I think it was about $75, I remembered I had a wooden box! And herbs! So for the price of a bag of potting soil, I had pretty much the same thing.
The box (it's a shipping crate for encyclopedias) came from the basement of our first house, and I have hauled it to several locations because I was so certain it would come in handy someday. As it did. There may not be as much junk this summer, but certainly, there will be junk. And lots of projects. It will be, I think, a before-and-after summer, and I'm really looking forward to it.
Gardening is my favorite pastime. Everything is going gang-busters in the garden--even the weeds.
I need to thin a lot of stuff out and pull weeds! I had a Crazy beginning of summer and the neglected garden took off!
Posted by: Sharrieboberry | June 26, 2014 at 05:04 PM
We had a rosemary we had grown for years even though everyone said it was impossible. It was HUGE. This winter killed it. Sob.
Posted by: sarah | June 26, 2014 at 05:07 PM
Hello stranger! Agree with you that some how plants are whacked out in strange ways this year. My lilies have usually come and gone by now but are taking their sweet time while my yarrow seems to be on steroids lol. I am just happy they all showed this year. Hmm I have a wood box somewhere too. Keep doing what you love to do B!
Posted by: Jewels Welsh | June 26, 2014 at 07:01 PM
I've been wondering what you've been up to! I LOVE your garden. I love northern summer gardens. Sigh. So green and pretty!
Posted by: Tina | June 26, 2014 at 10:08 PM
Well the garden is a great place to be if you aren't out with the junk. I love working in my yard too...not as much as junking, but very rewarding!
Posted by: laurie magpie ethel | June 26, 2014 at 10:50 PM
Since school has let out, my husband has a daily shovel in one hand and a paint brush in the other. Garden therapy!
Posted by: Musings from Kim K. | June 27, 2014 at 06:44 AM
I am a firm believer in following your muse where she takes you! Your garden looks beautiful.
Posted by: Kathy | June 27, 2014 at 09:13 AM
Gorgeous garden! I love checking out your vintage finds, but I would also be perfectly happy if Oodles and Oodles morphed into a gardening blog.
Posted by: Martha | June 27, 2014 at 01:57 PM
. . . and I'm not even a gardener!
Posted by: Martha | June 27, 2014 at 01:57 PM
Junk in the garden is one of my favorite combos!
Posted by: Into Vintage | June 28, 2014 at 04:54 PM
Gardening is my first love too, but wouldn't you agree that finding junk to put in the garden is the best of both worlds? The crazy winter seems to have made my lemon balm grow very enthusiastically, so if you would like me to FedEx you a metric ton of it....
Posted by: Carol @ Old Glory Cottage | June 29, 2014 at 02:34 PM