When we bought our first home in 2011, it was bank owned and needed a lot of work. I’ll never forget a moment I had while I was sitting, feeding my baby, a few weeks before we moved in. As I rocked, it hit me that our future yard had NO plants…no trees, nothing. The grass was all weeds and nothing had ever been done with it. At that time, our 2 year old had just taken to playing outside and could spend hours in the trees with his trucks and imagination.
We moved in and immediately got to work. The interior of the house needed cosmetic things like new paint and some other updates. We tackled those and then my husband got busy outside. Within a few years, the grass was beautiful, we had chickens and a garden that made me ridiculously happy. We planted flower beds, painted the door red to welcome everyone and grew lots of herbs (so great for keeping the coop clean!).
When we sold our home almost 2 years ago, the hardest part was leaving the yard. A lot of the herbs were from friends like Abby and the rhubarb was from Angie. The cilantro seeds were from Adam, the iris bulbs were from my Mom and the poppies that came back year after year were from our dear friend in Eastern Washington, Jenny. When I walked around my yard, I saw friends everywhere, not just plants.
So, here’s my point. Ask your friends for plants. See what they’re thinning out, separating and pruning. Ask them if you can help! If you put the question out there, you might be surprised with what you’re given, and what you learn. When your plants grow and start spreading, pass the love along.
The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just on the body, but the soul. Alfred Austin
Here are just a few ideas of plants that are easy to share:
Strawberries- they send out little runners and are constantly multiplying! Plant them in full sun, with well draining, slightly sandy soil. Cover them with netting to keep the birds away.
Raspberries- Does anything taste better in the summer than raspberries? No!
Rhubarb- this plant will look like it disappears during the winter, but don’t worry, it comes back year after year. Partial shade is great for this one.
Mint-maybe plant this in a container, or in an area you don’t mind having completely taken over my mint.
Lavender
Thyme
Rosemary
Seeds…..like cilantro and poppies that have been saved from previous years!
Chives!
Flowers- such a bulbs.
What plants do you enjoy sharing with your friends? What plants have been given to you?
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. Marcus Tullius Cicero