FRACTURED METAPHOR

Spring has made her grand entrance and as the temperatures began to rise I find myself drawn into the back yard. One of the reasons I agreed to purchase this house is because I am smitten with the garden and the general beautiful landscaping that Beth, and before Beth, her mother, had lovingly bestowed on his home.

I was dismayed at the state of the back yard! The weeds had taken over. I pulled and pulled, enough for four bags. The back yard is enormous with the gardens spread along two borders and three corners, not the mention the side of the house, and the front yard. But I was just focused on the back yard.

As I pulled weeds trying to tell the difference between a weed and a fragile perennial trying to wake up to the warmer weather, I found little treasures spread throughout the weeds.


Beth's surprises!

I was afraid that the yard would never return to the spender when under Beth's (and Beth's Mom). When I first was introduced to the yard it was ablaze in color. When we moved in the back yard was alive with day-lilies, iris, lilac, back eyed susans, a lavender bush, roses, and color every where.

I was alarmed at bleak state of affairs that greeted me last April. Weeds weeds and more weeds.

Patience is a virtue, and it paid off. My anxiety was misplaced and in time the back yard burst into glorious life.

I once again wander around the back yard and fight the weed's, once again pulling four bags worth of pesky weeds. I have planted several flats of annuals. I now know to pull those weeds that sort of look like domesticated floras on the verge of flowering. Yes, flowering into horrible prickly yellow flowers of death! I know to get rid of that prolific weed that smells like lemon. It has taken over the back

corner, but I have grieved only briefly that I might be pulling a real bona fide plant. The roots are too deep and the plant is every where. The worms love the roots of that dang weed....I spent considerable amounts of time freeing them from the root ball.

It will all be worth it in the end, this labor intensive back yard. Someone else will end up loving it.

I find that it is enjoyable, pleasant and soothing in the beginning, putting your hands into the dirt and seeing how lovely the garden will look in time. But the labor involved!! Every day you have to check it, water it, pull weeds, feed, mulch, snap off dead heads...

It becomes a chore really fast, and by mid summer the weeds are thriving and I feel like a brown thumb.

But, it is spring, I am finding the little treasures left behind in Beth's garden, and for a short time, I'll feel like a master gardener.