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I inherited my garden ...

27/1/2013

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PictureThe writer, Holly Rupert, in her northern garden
... and I now realize, I inherited my love of gardening too. 

We moved to our home on the edge of the boreal forest in Northwestern Ontario in 1997.  I was thrilled with the trees, shrubs and tiered flower beds had been established in the deeply sloped backyard.   
 
Soon the thrill turned to feelings of inadequacy. What did I know about perennials and trees, after all?  In our previous homes I'd planted a few annuals and shrubs, but this was a much larger garden, a much bigger commitment.

The first year I watered and observed. I gradually learned the sun-loving perennials growing in those tiered beds, but for the most part, I felt like the caretaker, not the gardener. 

 It took a little guts and some success for the garden to become fully mine. I discovered I loved amending soil, planning a design and adding new plants. I have never looked back. My "inherited" garden gives me joy every day.

I remember trailing my mother in the slanting light of a summer's evening. She was planting or weeding beneath a barberry hedge at our Southern Ontario home.  A pony-tailed four-year-old, I loved the burgundy leaf colour, even as I learned to respect the prickles.

We would go on to live in other houses, but my mother always made time to plant flowers and trees. Flowers were for cheer; trees were for legacy. I now know my mother's garden knowledge was simple, but sound. Water and good soil were the key to everything.

I realize now that by trailing behind, I learned there is something rich and satisfying in planting and tending. Today I am on the cusp of becoming a Master Gardener. I am grateful for inheriting the love of gardening.

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