How Does Your Garden Grow...Honoring Mama

,

Spring of 2004 marked the beginning of an annual tradition for me:  planning and planting a flower garden.  Before my mother passed earlier that year, she had given me a slew of iris bulbs that had been divided from her very mature established plants.  Mama LOVED iris, and she knew how to grow them.

I let them lie dormant for a long time, in our sons' old sandbox under the shade of the big oak tree.  What did I know about bulbs?  Absolutely nothing.  I didn't know annual from perennial, what liked shade or sun.  I did a little research, then tilled up a large section of grass at the foundation of my house; there weren't even shrubs there!

Somehow I never had an interest in planting a flower garden, though we'd had vegetable gardens out back when our sons were young.  No, I had been content with the big rose bush that came with the house back in '86.  

My mama had a green thumb and I remember growing up she always grew beds of pansies, and tall sunflowers.

When I was older, I watched as she poured over the new flower catalogs every year around January, planning her spring selections.
 
So then, in '04, it was my turn:  I determined to plant a memorial garden in her honor.  First off deciding the plot size for the bed, renting a tiller (hubby work), and purchasing decorative brick edging, azalea shrubs, and bedding plants.  Oh what fun!!!  This planting would be a "foundation" flower garden, for obvious reasons.

I have to say, the most glorious flower garden I ever planted was that first one 7 years ago; not one of the gardens I created afterward has compared to its beauty.  Somewhere I have a photo of it...

In subsequent years, I have tilled up and planted other areas around our property.  I managed to convince hubby to put up lattice work to hide the electric and AC (all the while scheming to plant climbing roses).

I got brave one year and ordered Sorbet Peony plants.  It took 3 years for them to finally produce! (Didn't help that I had shade planted them :-(    But I moved them, and wasn't it worth the wait?!

Another spring and yet another flower bed to highlight Mama's birdbath that I now possess, this one away from the house and abstract circular.

The following year, I planted a garden on the east side of the house that receives plenty of morning sun. 

And last year to my great delight, my sweetie built around this area and together we made a raised bed.  This year, the raised-bed dragon snappers volunteered!  And are they showing off?!

And a new peony returned this year:

Now I'm ready to continue the annual planting tradition this year; love a nice new pair of soft gloves:

 A few shade plantings, ready for bed!

And looky!  My sweetie remembers me on Mother's Day with a bouquet.  And it reminds me of my mother.  Thankyou honey!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to my followers, readers, and fellow bloggers, !