summer: flower power

growing up my mom always planted flowers.  let's not confuse things.  my mom plants flowers.  she does not garden.  as a result, i plant flowers.  i do not garden.  i remember planting with her.  we'd have icy diet cokes and would listen to the cubs on the radio.  they were more than likely losing.  once i bought my own house i knew i would also plant flowers.  i was a little concerned when i realized there wasn't any place to plant flowers in the ground.  honestly, my house has been standing since 1951 and there isn't a patch of dirt anywhere.  my first year i attempted to plant in the mulch.  every year after i stuck to pots.

here's how i plant flowers.

step one:

assemble your pots.  i keep mine on the side of the house during the winter.  note: store clay pots in the garage.  they will crack if kept out in the elements.  there's a scientific reason why.  i am not a scientist.  ever year king louie's grandma gives us $30 for our anniversary.  every year i buy hanging baskets and save the basket to plant my own flowers in the next year.  i also recommend asking friends and family if they have extra pots.  i've inherited quite a few. 

all lined up like little soldiers

here are some extra items and my clay pots.  i have a spade, a tiny rake (i'm sure this has a technical term), miracle grow, a pair of good gardening gloves (they're atlas brand.  thank you AM) and extra soil.  it seems a bit ridiculous to buy dirt but i guess i buy water too.  please stop me if you ever see me in line at the store buying bottled air.

from here i break up the dirt i had left over from previous years with the tiny rake.  i have to find out what those are really called.  it is just embarrassing.

then you choose a flower and pop it out of the container.  squeeze the bottom so you don't accidentally rip the flower out of the dirt.  then pull off the bottom part of the dirt like so:

it exposes the roots to the new soil.  then dig a hole, add miracle grow and plant.

here's the flower box all prettied up with petunias

 

then repeat, repeat, repeat.  i had my AM buy me seven flats of flowers.  i must have been out of my ever loving mind.  after two straight hours of planting on saturday i was out of pots and out of patience.  it kind of bothers me that i don't have the time to actually take my time and enjoy the process but this coming weekend is booked.  it was last weekend or never.  i sent a frantic text to AM who graciously brought over her leftover pots on sunday and after church i went back at it.  this time king louie was around to help (he was mowing the lawn on saturday) and once i convinced him to stop being a perfectionist things went pretty smoothly.  well, except for when i bend my fingernail backwards while digging a whole.  my reaction was to put my finger in my mouth.  all that got me was a hurt finger and a mouth full of dirt.  kinda gritty.

here's how it all turned out and where they will spend the summer:

 

back steps

patio

patio

front lawn

impatiens around the tree in the parkway

another tip for bigger projects like this tree is to find a friend.  king louie dug the holes and i followed planting the flowers.  we flew once we started this system.

front lawn

and now the fun part begins: watering them.  there's nothing better than working at a heating and air conditioning company on a 100 degree day in the summer and coming home to almost dead flowers because it is scorching.  you break a sweat dragging the hose all around the house where it undoubtedly kinks on you at least once and you trip over it.

honestly though, it is worth it.  the tree is on the parkway and some neighbors drove by as i was planting.  they said that they always notice our flowers.  i really appreciated it.  i love the pop of color too.

how about you?  do you plant flowers?  or do you garden?  or do you buy your pots already made up?  fruits and veggies?  or is it just a pain in the neck?