Garden Gold

Garden Gold!

Yesterday I carried in to show Janet a handful of ground up leaves that my chipper had created in my compost pile. I declared that I had precious ‘Garden Gold’, for this was spread about 1-2″ thick in many of my garden beds. The woodland plants and evergreens will put on a happy face for the season. I like leaf mulch because it decomposes quickly to supply nitrogen for new growth while retaining moisture for the plants. I feel it is my way to ‘recycle’ mother natures beauty.

I also gave my over 125 year old peonies a generous sprinkle of bone meal and crumbled egg shells to promote bountiful blooms for season 2011. These peonies have been divided and propagated from my grandmother’s farm in Iowa decades ago, and they were originally her mother’s. So their beauty has been passed on near thirteen decades now. Soon (maybe this year) I shall pass on a division to my daughter in Michigan (a gardener) so she can keep them going for years ahead.