See Our Very Own Dirty Girl Garden with Betsy
It was much colder today than I thought it would be and I was very disappointed I couldn’t get to the garden … but sometimes things have a nice way of turning around. After a quick call, I had a chance to spend the afternoon with one of my favorite people. She happens to be one of our Dirty Girl Gardeners as well as one of the funniest and hard working women I know. There is NOT a DIY project she won’t tackle and her garden is NO exception!
Anytime I get to spend with Betsy, I’m guaranteed lots of laughing and a project or “five” will come up. The first thing I noticed when I got to the house was her use of the bathtub as a planter with some retro boxes and some sort of picket fence. When I saw this, I thought two things,
1. I think my dear friend may need an intervention
2. I think my dear friend is an absolute gardening rock star
It didn’t take me long to answer this. Clearly #2 … just don’t try and take a bath, unless you are ok sharing the tub with this odd form of avant-garde indoor garden art.
We started off working in the kitchen, chatting about the plants that needed repotting. My favorite was easily the Key Lime tree as it goes well with a nice summer gin and tonic. Since it was still in the 40’s outside we took the plants into the garage and went to work. She tried a potting soil called Ferti-lome that seemed pretty clean and free of sticks. After we filled the large pots half way, we mixed in a few tablespoons of All Purpose ARBORChar and placed in the plants. I added an extra shot of char to the top soil for good measure! I can’t wait to see the results. I can tell these guys are gonna love the terracotta pots and the char, especially when they get on the porch and start getting some real summer sun. Of course, we’ll hit them with some NutriRoot when needed to ensure they stay hydrated when it finally warms up.
We took a walk around the yard with Pogie (who refused to give up her stick) and Betsy showed me a very cool bird house her dad built years ago that has become the home for a beautiful honeysuckle vine. I can’t wait to see this in a month or so. I know it’s going to be beautiful, full of texture and color.
A garden full of stories
Her main garden is truly an heirloom, with plantings from her parents home, and other important times in her life. There was a story with every step we took and listening to her share them is inspiring. Unfortunately, everything is still covered in salt marsh hay. Her philosophy is that the sprouts will work extra hard to push through, strengthening them as they grow. I couldn’t deny that and I actually like the idea. I did take a peek and those guys were definitely looking good. She has created an area behind the garage where she keeps plants and shrubs she’s not ready to add to the garden, or ones she has separated and is thinking about where they end up. I love this idea if you have the room!
As always, Betsy has a list of projects scheduled for the summer. From adding pavers to her driveway to the typical garden needs, she will definitely be busy.
We will be following her all summer long and she will be sharing her progress with us at The Dirt on Dirt. It’s shaping up to be a great summer here at in Betsy’s Garden!
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