Here in the Pacific Northwest, Spring arrived almost instantaneously as in 0 to 65 in 27 hours. Perhaps the drama was more intense due to our dulled senses from last year when Spring in some ways never happened. We have our memories of that incessant cold greyness. This year the endless rains stopped, the sun appeared, the temperatures rose each day, and the plants exuberantly unfurled their new growth. I saw no hesitation on their part.
All this new tenderness gives much strength to the sense of renewal. Our cultural and economic lives have been heavily battered, but with this tender yet powerful new growth in our surrounding landscapes, there comes, from deep within, the sense of joy, the sense of expansion in one’s thoughts, and a new courage and vigor for bringing forth creative ideas.
This also means that our gardens need a renewed attention. You could feel the intensity of need by the sheer numbers of horrible noise machines being revved up. I was so excited last Saturday to set out the chairs with pillows in order to have lunch outdoors with a few friends. Didn’t happen – 45 minutes with a leaf blower to the north, an hour and a half with a lawn mower across the street, and to the south the roar of the power washer. Oh phooey indeed.
On a more positive note, it seems that most everyone now has returned to planting vegetables and fruits. There was a time, not long ago, that vegetable and fruit gardens were just kept by ‘poor’ people, or old-timers who had many hours to putter in their gardens. Now we have learned again what those people have always known – it is that sweet taste of freshness. Also, it is your knowledge about the health of your soil.
For newcomers to the joys of vegetable and fruit production I point you to the Seattle Tilth organization at the Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford. These folks have been educating us all for many, many years. You will feel so very welcomed. Also they will have important information to guide you towards resources that are specific to your neighborhood. Of course there is endless information out on the Web, but I believe in the importance of the face-to-face exchange of knowledge, with shared anecdotes, and of course exuberant laughter. You will find that other people stupidly planted too close or in too much shade, or, or, or … Something about misery loves company comes to mind? Their website has all the information you will need to connect with them, or just visit them at the Center!
Another important issue is of course our growing need to feed our fellow citizens, immigrants legal or otherwise included. Many years ago the Garden Writer’s Association started the now famous program called ‘Plant a Row for the Hungry’. I would encourage you to do research on the Association’s website to see if your efforts can match their programs. If the organization of such an effort appears to be daunting for you this year, the program will give you many ideas for achieving similar goals on a reduced basis.
Perhaps you can join with a neighbor or two or three, and consolidate your vegetables, fruit, and flowers into a weekly gift box to donate to your local soup kitchen or food bank. Ballard Food Bank accepts such donations Monday through Friday, 8:30 – 3:00. If the door is locked, just knock. There will be people there to accept your donation. You might ponder about the flowers? Well, remember that the soul needs to be fed also.
Aside from vegetables and fruit, your trees and shrubs need to be mulched while the ground is still damp. This is a great time of year to do serious propagation work. Your perennials will reward you with a myriad of plants from cuttings grown on at this time of the year. Stop to observe the unfolding of the peony growth! Think about your plants’ staking needs now before they sprawl. You might want to tidy up your camellia blossoms, for they have a tendency to stay on after their bloom time. Also with our damp weather persisting, they tend to look rather brownish …?
Having said all of this, now I want you to think about the pleasures that your garden brings to you and your family or friends. Those garden ideas are so much more important than all the “chores” that this season confronts you with. Plant the seeds, revel in the dreams of abundance of the next season, snip a flower here, take a bouquet to work or your dentist(!). Essentially, wallow in the joys that the garden presents to you but with just one caveat – do not allow any “electronic” devices to come between you and having all your senses open to the plethora of sensations being given to you by your garden. You can text, schedule, reply, etc. when the sun goes down. You can set up an instant reply that simply states: “I am in the garden”. Your networks of correspondents will know your intentions and honor, probably with great envy, the delay.
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