I wanted to show you my first garden. (Most of these photos are from about 9 years ago) It is actually my husband’s grandmothers garden. We bought the home about 4 years after her death, in 1997. “Mamie” loved to garden, and the best gift she left for me was these pink rose bushes. There actually are 3 of them in a row, but the picture just shows one.
Well, maybe roses are not the best gift she gave me. She made these little beauties possible. Look how little the girls are there.
We had to make a few changes though. There were giant yews in front of the porch we dug out. This bed must have been brand new in the photo.
I always loved the columns, but the location was horrible.
Later on we fixed the steps and put in a new door, but of course I don’t have a shot of that!
She had several irises and I wish I could get starts now.
These little window boxes are so tiny, but at the time I thought they were cute.
One of the few things I added was the little hydrangea in the middle there. Now it is 4 feet tall or more. But like I said, most of this she planted many, many years ago.
I pulled the weeds out of this bed and found hostas. They had not been seen for years, and I divided them and they filled the bed.
This is another gift from “Maudie” (grandpa). He grew grapes and made wine, so he had the greenhouse. The floor was dirt and he used to have “worm boxes!”
The well pump use to be in use on the property.
This old white rose is lovely, I do not know the name.
But look at the clean foliage. I did not know a thing about roses, and it looks better than the ones outside now!
These lilacs I miss. The aguga bloomed blue in the spring.
This one I think I bought, but most was already there.
Not sure what this is after all this time, but I’d like a start!
Another shot of the backyard, it was tiny.
This henryii grew over the fence. I loved it, but for the longest time never knew what it was…lol.
Lilies from the church, I wish I had these too.
This whole other side was groundcover.
The house was built in 1912, and we lived in it from 1997 until 2004.
Here is a bit inside, I love old homes….
The bay window in the front room.
Living room.
Arched door leading to bedrooms.
Dining room.
Office….that is the desk I still use.
Living room from office.
The kitchen.
It was ONLY 970 square feet, and hubby’s grandparents had lived there since 1955. They raised three children there and when they bought it, it was “out of town”. Since then, the town is all around it…for sure.
We sold the house three days after Christmas and moved the first week of February in with my parents. Everything we owned was in storage until our new home was finished 5 mths later. So, it was dead of winter and I could not take one single plant with me.
But I did learn a lot from Mamie’s garden. And I loved to see her flowers bloom for me and her Great Grandchildren. And now, like most older homes, it looks like hell. A tree limb fell through the roof of the greenhouse and they never fixed it. The garden is overgrown and spilling over the walls onto the sidewalk.
But we had sweet memories while we were there….But honestly….
I am so THANKFUL for the room we have now!
I cannot imagine living in town, ever again!
Thought you might enjoy seeing a real Grandma’s garden, and my very first attempt at keeping it up!
hugs….Brooke
