A while back I mentioned on Facebook that I thought I’d throw spring a welcome back party. My niece, Keller, had a birthday coming up, so it seemed like a good excuse to kick winter to the curb with a spring-themed birthday brunch for her and three of her friends. This called for a fancy table, cupcakes (pink and extra icing please), silver, and lots of flowers. I had everything in the bag but the flowers. I was quickly reminded by the dead smelly tulips in my dining room that I was cursed with two black (not even greenish-black) thumbs. I have tried everything to cure my plant-killer-itis. Last year, I surrendered my day-lilies to the neighborhood garden club. I decided spending hours…days…months on Pinterest, researching and planning my ideal yard would help (they say planning and visualization is the first step to accomplishing something). None of this has made me a better gardener.
This year, thanks to a double-dog-dare from my husband, I decided to learn how to do some stuff, instead of ‘just wishing and hoping and dreaming and praying.’ The idea was to ask people I admire to teach me how to do the things they get paid to do…and blog about it. It’s a gig I never imagined, but it’s been so much fun. Recently, I had a special surprise. One of the many folks I have enjoyed reading about in Southern Living jumped out of a gardening story and into my kitchen. Carmen Johnston (spokesperson for Southern Living’s Plant Collection) was someone I knew about, but had never met. On a whim, I e-mailed her and asked if she would teach me about flowers and share some of her gardening secrets. She was excited to help!
I freaked out. One of my billion dreams in high school was to be an editor for Southern Progress; So hanging out with Carmen was like fulfilling a dream in a (far-fetched) way. Turns out, Carmen was totally normal. ha!
I mean, she was a real person like me and we had a lot in common and now it's kind of funny that I was so nervous about meeting her. I consider her one of my people now. (Hopefully the feeling's mutual...otherwise things just got awkward...)
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| Photo Credit goes to Southern Living plant collection. Thanks for sharing this pretty image, y'all! |
I woke up feeling like poo that morning; But, you don't cancel on Southern Living...or anyone associated with them.
My four-month old assistant, Beeland, and I met Carmen at Home Depot, where she showed us (I’m sure Beeland was taking note) how to shop with entertaining and long- term planting in mind. She taught me how to bring the outdoors inside and gave me the confidence to pull off fabulous arrangements without breaking the bank! My budget was small, but we ended up with enough supplies to create two beautiful containers for the welcoming entry I longed for, an easy and cheerful centerpiece for Keller’s party- which would later be planted in the backyard, and several other plants to enjoy throughout the house. Carmen’s knowledge of and passion for planting was captivating; but I was really impressed by how sweet and genuinely interested she was in helping me create an inviting home. Plus, she helped keep my little pterodactyl happy by feeding her a bottle in the middle of the soil aisle.
We talked about high-expectations (and that regular deliveries of one thousand flawless peonies in low season may not be in the cards for me at this time…or ever). She encouraged me to be resourceful, to use the things mother nature has already provided, and to teach my children to do the same. So, I came up with a few ideas that would incorporate what Carmen suggested. The next day, my four year old and I went on a scavenger hunt around the house, looking for gardening supplies. We found faux silver votive holders, pink raffia, several packages of seeds, milk jugs, and house paint. These became the makings of party favors for Keller’s party and container gardens for my toddlers. The kids (ages two-nine) enjoyed being in charge of their own supplies and seemed pretty proud of the finished product.
I felt encouraged and was excited at the end of my time with Carmen. I’m so thankful to her for reminding me that planting should be joyful not stressful. My new goal is to bury those plans of perfection under some pine straw and work on finding my green-thumb. It’s got to be around here, somewhere!
Here are a few tricks of the trade that I learned from Carmen:
1. Before you begin planting, check to make sure there is a hole at the base of your pot. If the hole seems small, drilling an extra hole will allow for better drainage. (Immediately forgot this one when we used the votive holders.)
2.You can flip the disposable plastic pot upside down and use it as a riser in your larger, permanent container. Not only will this allow you to use less potting soil, it will elevate the plant itself for extra visual impact.
3.When planting containers, work in the shape of a triangle with something that will grow tall, something that will grow thick at the surface, and something that will trail over your container; And, water around the edge of your pot, rather than in the middle.
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| I had this fabric laying around and threw it on the table for a fun pop. (Took it off for the actual lunch) |
Sneak peek of Keller's party! The "wild ones" are waking up...more pictures later. :)
Look for this story (and a list of my favorite green things) in April's HER Magazine and make sure to follow Carmen on Facebook, or on her blog!
