Planting season

The projects are getting checked off slowly day by day. I am about done with the inside of the house, and since today was supposed to be the last rain-free day for a while, it was time to head outside.

I spent today at the nursery getting plants to spruce up the front yard. For someone lacking a thumb with any hint of green, it was an interesting experience. The number of plants I can point to and name could be counted on one hand, so it was a little overwhelming. Not exactly like a kid in a candy store, since I was wasn't looking for a sugar rush and overwhelmed by choices. More like being told you need a computer, then going to Fry's Electronics to grab everything you need to build one, operating on your base knowledge of a typewriter. Or insert any mega-store experience where you haven't a clue.

So anyway, I don't know what I am doing. The first of the two planting areas I am working on is the planting strip in front of the house. It has largely been allowed to grow wild, so I cleared most of it out and was looking to put in plants to add some street appeal. The second area is a 10x10 square just to the right of the front door. I was originally going to put in a small deck, but later decided on plants. A deck is what I would want, but the prospective buyer might have other ideas. Plants were a cheaper, less permanent option.

That is another thing that added to the confused feeling I felt as I wandered around the nursery. I'm not even buying plants to satisfy my desires, but guessing what some random person will find appealing. But that is a whole different subject.

So lacking any plant knowledge or artistic talent, I tried to break it into (man)ageable chunks. I started with only getting perennials because I didn't want to spend money on flowers that wouldn't make it more than a month. Next I broke it into two trips based on sun exposure - one area is shaded and one gets full sun. Fortunately, most all the plants had tags that listed the necessary sun exposure. If they had tags like Garanimals, it would be almost idiot proof.

Besides all the digging, it actually ended up being an enjoyable afternoon. A little window into a new world. Once I throw in some bark, the place will look a little more welcoming. I'd like to say I learned something, but I still don't know the names of the plants I put in.