The Lifelong Gardener

Owner: Ruth Asher

Address: 103 South Presley

Plan to shop! Vendor at this garden: Sunflower Follies by Meghan Hessman

Location:

Find the different kinds of native perennials (even those not blooming).
Look for yard art that has been collected for over 40 years at various art shows, such as Rusty, the dog and Helmet, the turtle.

Poor drainage in the backyard
Lots of crabgrass
Unpruned trees
Several malformed shrubs
“When we moved to this house in November 2017, we discovered the backyard had poor drainage, lots of crabgrass, unpruned trees, and several malformed shrubs that needed to be removed. Our plan was to handle one manageable project each year.
2018: 3 wooden raised garden beds accessible from the patio
2019: Front foundation area-old shrubs removed and replaced; perennials added
2020: Patio area extended, and perennials added near foundation; screened porch addition
2021: Drainage improvement in backyard and sprinkler system added
2022: Shrubs replaced with perennials on north side of driveway entrance; added multi-stemmed serviceberry trees in front and back
2023: Defined the area around the wooden garden beds and connected that area along the patio to the deck
2024: Added a pocket pollinator garden in the front parking area by the mailbox; removed large dying white pine tree on south side of house
2025: Prepared and planted a perennial and shrub area in area vacated by the pine tree; had house painted and deck repaired

Keep a record of what you plant and where it is, along with occasional notes or a journal about successes and failures.
Have a plan and try to not plant perennials too close together, because tiny starter plants will spread!
Take photos at different times of the year for comparison purposes.
Learn to accept the unexpected.
“I was lucky enough on a trip to England to have a guided tour of the gardens of King Charles’ private estate, which has an emphasis on natural things. The guide kept saying that their philosophy was, ‘If you want the beneficial insects and birds, you have to learn to put up with those that are less desirable, also.’ I don’t spray my plants. I try to have well-balanced and fertilized soil so the plants can be as healthy as possible.” Garden owner, Ruth Ascher