January 16 -2011

I’m moving in six months. When I do that, I will have something I want very much. Actually, I’ll have a lot of things that I want very much. In some ways I am truly blessed, although it doesn’t always feel like it. But what I’m here to talk about is the garden I’m getting. I like to grow things. In fact, I love to and more accurately, I think I need to. It keeps me sane. Sort of. What I am getting is more than just another garden to take over and make my own. I’m getting something much better than that. I’m getting an open yard.

That’s right. My new backyard-to-be has virtually nothing in it. The current owners have two large dogs who I guess needed somewhere to hang around outside. I could learn to love those dogs.

The front has been well taken care of. There is at least one decent sized tree – I don’t remember what. There are some perennial beds and a rose – a floribunda, I think. It’s seriously overgrown and close to a path and I can’t wait to get up close and personal with my trusty Fiskars in my hand. Unfortunately, by June it might be a little late to do a lot to it and I’m not certain what kind of rose it is and without knowing that – Thou Shalt Not Cut. But I’ll check into it.

My new backyard isn’t huge, but it’s a good enough size for me – fairly wide – maybe 65 feet across the back, which I’ll guess is about 25 feet deep . Both side yards are opened to the backyard but closed off from the front of the house. The back of the house faces west. There are a few trees in the neighboring yards, but I get a seriously good shot of western light. One side yard is a south and a west exposure. The vegetable garden will have to go there. It is a perfect spot and I’m pretty sure there is enough room.

It might be six months before I can even get a good look at it again, but I love to think about my plan for that back garden. I’m getting a greenhouse, which in itself is a 30 year old wish. Can you imagine getting something you’ve wanted for thirty years? Maybe something good about getting older is that you can understand what that actually means. But, I know it will mean a few headaches, a nasty surprise or two, extra work and more than a touch of fear that I’ll make a mess of it. But I know I can do this. It will probably sit empty in the summer, but in the winter I will grow vegetables and indoor bonsai trees and I’ll have a small lemon and key lime tree. I’ll keep a chair and a very small desk area in there and it will be my bolt hole. One of them.

Before I sign off for the night, here’s a real quick overview of what I will have in this garden of mine.
I’ll have a vegetable garden and perennial herbs and rhubarb.
I’ll add herbs and blueberries into the perennial and foundation gardens that I think will be stretched out along an interlock or possibly flagstone path and around the patio.
I’ll have some growing beds for outdoor pre-bonsai and bonsai in training.
I will have a greenhouse> It won’t be huge and could easily be as small as 8×12, but I’m a little more excited when I think about 8 or 10 by fourteen.
I’ll probably need some cold frames. Normally, I picture them around a greenhouse, but I’m not sure that giving up the extra insulation from the ground is a good idea.
I am making what I call a Yoga garden . It will be a peaceful, secluded spot – probably close to the greenhouse and the vegetable garden. It will be a warm and sunny place to lie on the ground and breathe.
My patio will get sun – I’m thinking- up to about 2 in the afternoon and then it will get some shade from a very impressive wall of cedar hedge.
The north side will be a shade garden- but I’m really fuzzy about this area so far because I also need a good spot for the barbeque and it sure would be nice to have it close to the door and in some kind of shelter. And I need a good light. That one needs to percolate for a while yet.
I’ll need some outdoor benches in a spot that has shade in the hottest part of the afternoon for my potted bonsai.
So, I think that pretty much covers it – vegetables, herbs, shrubs, perennials, a shade garden, a bonsai nursery and yoga garden, patio and barbeque area. And I’ll need a spot to hide the compost bin.( I think I know where that will be – around the side near the vegetables.)

If you’re looking for another great bonsai to add to your collection, check out the Chinese elm bonsai. The tree, categorized as the Ulmus Parvifolia, is a small evergreen tree that is quite hardy. It will survive just about anything, making it a great bonsai for a beginner or for someone who has a history of killing their plants. The Chinese elm’s twisted trunk and its exposed upper roots make it look like the bonsai is very, very old, even if it’s a relatively young tree. One of the really nice things about the Chinese elm is that it can be grown indoors or outdoors. It can exist in many different climates, so you can use it as decoration on your kitchen table, in your office, or put it outside on a patio table to act as a centerpiece during a summer cookout. No matter what you do with this little tree, it’s sure to look great anywhere.