Turn about the garden …

I’ll admit it …. I went to Jane Austen’s home in Chawton having not read much of her works. Cliff notes had gotten me through a Pride and Prejudice history paper and I think I had seen Gwyneth Paltrow’s Emma. I was a Jane Austen virgin. I began avidly reading her works on that British Literary Tour and it was magic. What better place to begin then in the land of her inspiration? Touching her writing desk, meandering the English countryside, pacing the streets of Bath – I loved it.

After the tour I took a Jane Austen class with one of my best friends, a fellow Jane enthusiast. It was less of a class and more of a fan club for us, I dare to say. Since then I have been enchanted with the idea of taking a turn about the garden. I would love to have a garden in full bloom bursting with intoxicating scents. Sipping lemonade and reading novels as my children play amidst the flowers. Doesn’t it sound wonderful?

Currently we are house sitting for my in-laws who have quite an expansive yard full of possibilities if one was to tame its wildness. And wild it is. Two of the three springs and summers since we have moved in I have been very pregnant with our two children so I truly have not been able to do much. Although weed I did even with my belly bump!

This year I am determined to make at least a small portion of the wilderness our own oasis. So that is this week’s grow to begin the process of tackling our yard. Last week I spent about an hour a day pruning and weeding. Seriously, every week I am going to have our garbage can full to the brim. It was actually a little exciting trimming the rose bushes and shaping the honeysuckle … knowing what they will look like this summer.

My goal this week is to get some little seedlings in – flowers and a few vegetables. I’ve already planted five raspberry bushes and a rose bush grand cover start. Pictures to come! What are you gardening this year? How do you tackle the process?