My Gardening Guru

When I was a new mom in my first home I was fortunate to have a lovely neighbor, Rhoda, who was an avid gardener.  I could always see her tending her garden when I was outside with my kids. We became friends and she taught me all I know about plants "over the fence."

I learned names of plants, which liked shade and which for sun.  She told me when to prune (never after July 1), when to plant, and most importantly how to divide and propagate them.  I"ll never forget how with her help and a little patience I turned a few liriope plants into a long border along a wall.  Over the years, the flowers in her garden spread over into mine.  She just wasn't my gardening guru, she was my friend, my teacher, my mother's helper, and a third granny to my children.  I've moved several times since then, but one of the things that always comes with me are my plants.  I make sure I have some cuttings from the garden before I move on.  They become the foundation for the gardens in our new home as well as a memory of friendship.

Some of these images are new to the blog and to my garden and others are long-time friends.