Spring Gardening

Gardening news……….This has been the hardest garden season in a long time.  March was a time to cut back perennials and we did……in the wind.  This year it was time to re-do one of the earliest beds.  Dig down and turn over the soil and add new amended soil (top soil with 10 year old horse manure added).  We were able to do that in April.  However, the nights insisted on being below zero and we held back the plants for weeks, watering them in the garage.  Finally, with the wind twirling over us, we planted the perennials in one bed.  Water had to be turned on temporarily for the new plants and then turned off again as we didn’t want a line to break during one of the cold nights.

So, here we are in May with so much left to do.  Some spraying for weeds has been done, but again the wind and cold stopped that and it looks like a lot of hand pulling is ahead.  Apparently, the cold and wind didn’t bother the weeds.

Hostas.  I think of Minnesota and Wisconsin when I think of Hostas.  There they are bountiful, large and beautiful because of the humidity and cloudy days.  However, this year Hostas have been planted under the Globe Willow with a drip line to them and we hope they will love and prosper in their new home.  The Pipe Organs have been planted and the containers in the Meditation area.

There are several sections to the Garden.  The first one that was built in 2001 is more formal with a concrete pathway and  most of the trees and bushes are Memorials.   The Meditation area with two beautiful benches is a quiet place to listen and watch for birds, butterflies or rabbits .  Then, across the walking bridge, is a beautiful, but more natural garden.  It has plants such as Rabbit Brush, Russian Sage, Tansy, Black Eyed Susans, Goldenrod and wildflowers.  There is a walking path with Bible Verses along the way and engraved memorial stones.

A Memorial Day Service will be held in the Garden and we will have flags placed by all the veterans’ memorials.  We also plan to make the garden more colorful by bringing in containers of colorful annuals.

Check out our Garden on Facebook……….Paradise Memorial Garden at Ecumenical Church of Pueblo West…….for more daily tips.

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