Manifestations of My Garden

Since I bought my house five years ago I have been envisioning ways of beautifying the landscape and creating a garden. The previous owners, whose art form was restoring classic cars and installing new engines (such as putting a Corvette Motor in a Model T Ford, but I digress), had left with the house an arched PVC canopy with a tarp for shade over the concrete on the south side yard of the house.

For couple of years I regularly enjoyed relaxing outdoors on my wooden bench in the shade of that tarp, either by myself or with friends and family. In time the tarp's color had faded and the sun had damaged the material so much that I was compelled one afternoon to tear it down and throw it the recycler. Now when I sat on my bench I'd be blasted by the sun, surrounded the stark white frame, by concrete, a stucco exterior and a tan brick wall. and a but I also had a vision. This ugly white frame would become the home of a vertical garden.

Maybe this is due to my years studying Landscape Design, or maybe I have an active imagination. Sitting on my bench on my side yard I have repeatedly envisioned this structure covered in hanging vines, drooping with grapes and wisteria, I picture walls of passion fruit and passiflora. I can almost smell the freshness of the herbs growing in the long pots that will line the frame along the side. I can imagine feeling soothing relief from the desert sun under the shade of vine leaves and the cool mist that irrigates.

Well, as the saying goes, ask and ye shall receive! This last weekend I acquired all of the parts that I'll need to complete my garden, for free from my neighbor no less.

Well, that was a blessing from above, and now it's time for me to plant! Have a wonderful spring!