Last week, blogging pal Alison challenged us to show the ugly parts of our gardens. This time of year, that's easier than ever. I decided to show the ugliest part of my garden first. You may recall that the city is digging up part of my parking strips to do curb repair and to install new sidewalk ramps. Wanting to save some of the plants that had been planted only a year before, I began digging and throwing them in whatever containers I could find. The project is taking a lot longer than projected so I've continued digging. Where to put all of these containers? Why, everywhere of course. The most crowded space is in back of the house where there is now only a tiny path around the side.
The arborvitae is one of two that were stolen from another garden (pulled up, root balls and all) and thrown into one of my parking strips. I posted on a couple of neighborhood websites but nobody claimed them. A smarter gardener would have simply tossed them in the yard waste container but I couldn't just let them die even though I don't want them. So they're potted up and will be put out in the alley next spring with a free sign on them.
Of course, the leaves everywhere add a lovely touch of neglect. (I just blew them into the beds last week but the contorted filbert was hanging on to most of it's foliage until now.) So, there you have it, the ugly truth. I hope this makes you feel much better about your own garden. Be sure to check out Alison's blog,
The Bonney Lassie to check out more Tell The Truth Tuesday posts. What's ugly in your garden this week?
Peter .. you are so funny ! I am going to start to have to call you the "Plant Rescue Guy" ? LOL .. we have a tiny bit of snow on things here so I can hide ? my ugly garden as long as that sticks .. but even in your so called ugliness, you have such creative touches, your "head" container makes me smile : )
ReplyDeleteIf I don't "see" you before Xmas .. have a wonderful time and enjoy the holidays (ugly part of the garden and all! LOL)
Take care
Joy
When I read garden blogs, I only leave positive comments. This new meme actually requiring something else. Such as, "Oh Goodness, this is truly awful", or "This is such an unsightly mess..". I find it a little bit difficult.
ReplyDeleteOh, this chaos of plants dug up and sitting in plastic bins is a very familiar sight to me. It's what I live with whenever I renovate a bed in my own garden. I have vast numbers of those plastic bins, and right now I have some huge clumps of daylilies sitting in them. I drill holes in the sides about a half-inch up from the bottom for drainage, otherwise they fill with water in the winter. I'm sorry the city is taking so long to finish the curb and sidewalk repair, I hope everything you dug up survives the upheaval. Thanks for being brave and showing some ugliness.
ReplyDeleteBabying a plant you don't even want, what if it "grows" on you and you can't bare to part with it come spring?
ReplyDeleteHaving had to dig up a lot of plants to save them from the driveway construction, I am sympathetic as there is never anywhere to suddenly house such a project.
ReplyDeleteThis is what my garage/workshop currently looks like, minus the arborvitae. As for the outdoor part of my garden, I think it's all pretty much ugly right now, especially the part where the moles went crazy and buried part of a garden hose.
ReplyDeleteThis looks full of potential rather than ugly.....
ReplyDeletececi
Controlled chaos, not a mess. :) As far as my yard is concerned, are leaves/grit covering the last of the snow/ice considered ugly?
ReplyDeleteInstead of the island of misfit toys, you have a garden of abandoned plants. I can understand the instinct to save them, though. It's just one step away from an abandoned puppy or kitten.
ReplyDeleteI can sure get into this meme. I have some really ugly parts. I think your area looks most natural. By that I mean we all have places where we would rather people not see or notice. I will pretend I don't notice this. ;)
ReplyDeleteYour "ugly" is fun! I need to join in--maybe during the growing season. Although it could be kind of interesting now, with just the bones, evergreens, and structures of the garden showing before the snow. You seem very organized to me--like someone else said...organized chaos. :)
ReplyDeletePeter, you never met a plant you wouldn't save.
ReplyDeleteThings look pretty tidy here, except for the leaves still falling from our neighbor's alder tree. We still haven;t had a hard frost.
Hmm. Doesn't look that bad to me. The leaves give a polka dot effect, only natural and organic instead of printed.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe I just need new glasses?
This is such a great meme. I should join in the fun next Tuesday.
ReplyDelete