Last summer, I moved from an established neighbourhood to an under-construction community in Airdrie.
In doing so, I gained my dream home, complete with a kitchen island, bonus room and oversized double garage. However, I left behind a yard that backed onto a green space and contained mature trees, flowerbeds and a private patio area.
But the lush growth visitors would often comment on wasn’t always there. When I moved into my old home in 2001. The yard was devoid of any living matter aside from some dandelion-infested, undernourished grass.
However, with a preschooler and newborn in tow, my husband and I got to work right away. We dug out the three dead poplar sticks from the backyard, dug several large flowerbeds in the back, weed-killed and fed the lawn and planted a number of trees and perennials.
Over the years, the flowerbeds expanded and we invested money into more trees and plants. I spent hours working in my new beds, which were annually refurbished with freshly composted cattle manure painstakingly transported from my mom and dad’s farm.
It was a miniature Garden of Eden with prairie fruit, a variety of perennials, lilacs, roses and annuals planted each season. I spent many hours weeding and planting and loved every minute of the relaxing chore.
Fast forward to our new home.
On move-in day, we took stock of the yard, which we had merely glanced over when viewing the home, due to the exciting amenities the interior of the home offered.
Once again, the backyard contained a dead tree, spotty grass, a badly built deck and nothing else.
The front was home to three pathetic-looking, under-watered shrubs and an 18-inch by three-foot strip of dirt with one lily planted in it. There were several large patches of dead grass in the front of the house.
Not too inspiring.
All winter, I dreamed and planned about my new yard and even enlisted the help of a wonderful landscape designer who helped me see the possibilities in my new space.
This spring, shortly after the snow first melted, I tackled my first project - a front flowerbed that I envisioned would be overflowing with perennials, with a border of yellow and purple petunias.
After two weekends of sod removal, digging, replacing and mixing dirt and planting, my flowerbed is well on its way.
The backyard, however, is a different story.
On June 2, in the midst of a rainstorm, my husband and I started heavy-duty weed removal in the narrow patch of dirt behind the storm gutter. We were also able to plant two Jackmanii clematis’ and a short row of sweet peas complete with fences in the space.
A small rectangular patch of dirt was also exposed in the back corner – a necessary job considering the two giant rhubarb plants, which were so kindly given to me by my mother-in-law, that sat in our backyard – in an old canner – for weeks.
With shopping for materials and the strenuous physical activity involved, it took two days to accomplish what seems a very small dent in my project list.
You see, I had dreams of completing a circular brick patio, constructing two trellises and planting climbing roses in front of them to flank a basement window. I also wanted to remove the sod from around the perimeter of the yard and fill the resulting flowerbeds with shrubs, perennials and several trees, including an apple, lilac and three columnar spruces.
It was to be a glorious first phase of our yard, which when complete will have a new deck, stairs, storage shed, two circular patios, a pergola and a number of shrubs and flowers.
But with a very limited timeframe and a tight budget, it seems my dreams for this year were far outside of reality.
Despite the disappointment, I will continue to plan, dream and dig until I am happy with the results of my yard.
Ten years from now, when my yard is overflowing with lilies, roses, irises and Joe Pye weed, I will still be planning, digging and planting. I will continue to visit greenhouses each spring, perusing the perennials and staring in awe at the annuals. I may even be the proud owner of a pond and small cold frame for tomatoes and peppers.
Even if I have no more room, I will likely be rearranging, trimming and changing my mind, because that is what gardeners do.
