New Year's Spruce Up

After the holiday festivities and activities, we turned our energies to the flower beds. The gentle and not so gentle rains of the last month had left the soil ready to give up the old plants and make way for the new. Our abundant crop of annuals, which included marigolds and cosmos, were ready to be deadheaded and then placed in drying trays for future replanting.

Leaves were raked, crabgrass was pulled, and soil was further loosened to plant fresh white and mauve pansies. Seeds, which had been previously dried, were spread and covered with fresh redwood bark. With the expected rains and mild temperatures, we expect our flower beds to give us a refreshed display very soon. Most of the mums took and were trimmed, as were our plentiful Iris.

The clients were again very enthusiastic and pleased with the ongoing progress of our Recovery Garden. Incorporating reuse and recycle principles into the activity was appreciated and recognized.

The Nature Conservancy has started a website to encourage reuse of "stuff." Go to nature.org/jan10 for more information on how to buy and sell used items. Be mindful of Mother Earth.