A few lessons learned by
a novice gardener…..
Unfortunately, the pollen is inevitable. It plays an important role in nature though, so we must bear it. Never complain about rain.... in fact, pray for it. It will wash our pollen woes away.
Bulbs are priceless. They're low maintenance & totally rewarding.
Don't dismiss annuals. They're inexpensive
& as long as you water and deadhead
them they'll bloom into the fall.
Ferns are grand. Whether a Woodland perennial or $7 Boston that gets tossed after the first freeze.
Loropetalum is pretty year around. Pink blooms in the spring, purple foliage in the fall. This one was already established when we moved in... I tried to grow some in the back yard, but the dogs ate it. Weird, huh? Every dog that came over would gnaw on the branches.
Gotta keep an eye on the Lamb's Ear. It will take a bed over in a heartbeat.
Cast Iron plants can grow anywhere and are near impossible to kill. They don't multiply very fast, but the nice thing is they require very little water. Excellent for our drought prone region.
Camillias are a must, creeping jenny is wonderful for pots, interesting foliage can be better than flowers, and one man's weed is another man's treasure!
And some new favorites:
Anise... an evergreen indigenous to the south. Requires little sun & water.
A few lessons not learned (yet)…. how to grow a rose bush, how to grow a lawn with a big dog romping on it, and how to successfully grow large tomatoes.
