Garden Promises for 2011

Many bloggers have wrapped up the year by admitting mistakes or making new resolutions and I have learned alot.
My list of mistakes would be long, I assure you, but I am going to take a different approach.
I am going to make my garden some promises.

2012 Garden Promises:

I promise to learn more. I often pass up enrichment opportunities and I never have a good reason. I promise to take available classes, perhaps even go back to the Garden Club that meets in the next town over. (my schedule has suddenly cleared up, during the week!) I met the most wonderful people in that group. They meet in a beautiful retirement home about 25 miles from my home. The retirement home left such an impression on me that I begged my husband to relocate his mom there when she was ready to make that move. It is a small group of mostly older people, but I fit in well and made some friends there.
Continuing education was mandatory when I was in Master Gardener's program and I miss it. I read the periodicals of the nursery and horticulture industry, but, as they say, "when you stop learning, you stop living".
I promise to waste less. Less time and less food! Can I tell you a secret? All my efforts to SAVE MY BASIL?? Why did I even bother?? All that basil- 7 plants that came to my knees-went to the frost. I never made the ice cube trays of pesto. I didn't freeze any of it. I fussed to save it and didn't follow thru enough to harvest it. No more excuses, this year, I promise to be diligent in the follow thru and NOT allow my hard work to go to waste because I don't finish the job! More cherry tomatoes landed on the ground than on our plates. Zinnias and cosmos languished in September's dry heat because the dead heading stopped. Instead of investing a few hours in the spring pulling grass out of beds, I've turned my head and ignored the small task and soon, I've got a monster of a job on my hands. grrr....

I promise to add art to my garden. Even if I have to make it myself because I have kids in college, I am determined to add some art to my landscape! I can start small, within my limits. 

this interesting! 

a kinetic wind sculpture. Perfect for my yard as it sits on the deck railing. If I sat this in the middle of my yard, you wouldn't see it!
I have always wanted one of these:

you might recognize her from the book/movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The statuary, named "Bird Girl" sat in Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia, until the cemetery was overrun with fans of the movie trying to get a photo with her. She now sits in Telfair Museum in Savannah. I'd like to think she'd look just as good in my yard!

owls are all the rage, right now!

I will know the right piece when I see it!

I promise to visit more gardens! Starting with the Chicago Flower Show, I would also like to visit the Morton Arboretum and Cantigny Park. I haven't been in years! Visiting other gardens is so inspiring, isn't it? Getting out and seeing the plants that grow there, gives me an indication as to what would do well in my own yard. Even visiting friends' gardens is like a field trip for me. When Rose give me a tour of her landscape, it can take us hours to get thru it! Sharing ideas and marveling at the work they've put in is so motivating! The problem is, by the time we finish the huge Italian feast Rose is known for, by the time the wine is gone and the dishes are done, by the time the 2 hour drive home is done, by the time I'm back in my own garden, the motivation is gone! (See Promise #2!)

Extend the seasons and protect the plants with available tools. Like the cold frame and the garden netting. Using these resources can stretch the growing season. How can that be bad?

Finally, and this might be the biggest challenge of all, I promise to eat large red tomatoes that I've grown myself! Without the time restrictions of the Sales Rep job, I know my vegetable garden will be better than ever! For those that care to, I welcome you to come share the harvest with me! 

I could list many more promises, but one reason for listing promises instead of resolutions is that I surely don't want to break a promise! If I keep my promise list reasonable, I might just keep my promises! One good thing about putting these promises out there? Accountability!