MAY DAY ! MAY DAY !

A mighty cold winter and a fickle Spring - back and forth with the hot and cold, rain and no rain.  Many homies tell me that this was the coldest and longest winter they could remember.

I've been busy with remodelling our small cedar house - adding a new half bath , a deck, new kitchen and an additional "gathering room " that will also be a guest room for visiting family members.  I love our small, cozy home and with all the improvements it is even more comfortable.  Outside I plan to install a fence around the perimeter so that I can garden without worrying about deer . I don't like fencing in a woodland garden but I will make it as invisible as possible with some lovely vines and other plantings.

In the garden I have added  mahonia, lorepetalum, dwarf butterfly bush, scarlet sage, Japanese iris, mugho pine, soft leaf yucca, forget-me-nots, nandina and astile.  In the frontage near the busy road I have eradicated the grass, formed beds, added horse manure and compost and planted wildflower seeds.  Behind them I am forming a row of pink muhly grass for Fall color.



As I work in the garden in the cool of the morning I encounter many passersby who comment on my progress or strike up a conversation about gardening.   Folks here are so friendly and always say hello when they pass, just one more thing I love about the South. I also love this small town feeling and its unique character - it's actually a melting pot of people from just about everywhere . It's also a foodie's town with lots of interesting places- at least 200 to dine.

I miss my family and friends in Chicago and often think about my old homestead and garden there.  The nice thing though is that my daughter there will fly down with her hubby in June and we'll all go to the lovely Outer Banks on the Atlantic for vacation.

My daughter took me to a Greek restaurant named Kipo's for my birthday and I asked the waiter what that meant.  We were surprised by his answer : Garden.  Lovely, because we were actually dining outside in a beautiful garden.

I also miss my loyal Chicago garden clients.  The garden design business in this small town is quite different I've found but I am giving it serious study before passing judgment.   I am enjoying visiting various garden centers and nurseries to check out their inventory.

But here in the merry month of May I find myself quite content with my new home and garden and the adventures that await me.