Fierce in Seattle: Indoorsy goes Outdoorsy
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a blogumn by Kelli Bielema
The beginning of a garden?
I’ve never been outdoorsy or even possessed a mild proclivity to nature. I really don’t know what’s happened to me since I moved to Seattle. Living in Los Angeles’ Los Feliz neighborhood I would hike Griffith Park frequently, and I liked to get fresh flowers occasionally. That was the extent of it. I regularly killed houseplants, including succulents, which I was told were the easiest to grow. It wouldn’t surprise me if I were till annihilate a plastic fern.
I moved into a lovely rental home here in Seattle near the end of November 2008. The house was built at the turn of the century (as in the 20th) to provide lodging for the pastor of the neighborhood church. It’s barely 600 square feet, boasts cathedral ceiling (keepin’ the faith, yo), and has a sleeping loft which I utilize as a guest room/storage area. The kitchen is open, with ample counter space and stainless steel appliances. Super fun to cook and entertain in. The bedroom is small and I have significantly edited all the junk in my life. I just need clothes, cookware, artsy things and some bric-a-brac and I am homesteaded.
I have a small patio, which I recently adorned with a couple of cushy seats and potted plants (poor suckers don’t know what’s comin’). In the back of the house is a mini-courtyard of sorts. It slopes, but it’s quaint. If quaint’s your thing.
There’s some sort of flowers & garden-y stuff that I’m pretty sure need some attention. Indifference is all I can offer them, at best. I have no idea how to give them what they need or how to administer such a practice. I can mow the lawn and trim the weeds (and some flowers will fall victim to neglect or the weed wacker). So rather than half-assing it, I’m enlisting friends for advice and assistance. That means that yes—I am now, ahem, gardening.
I hate it. It’s really awful. I’m not opposed to dirt, worms, compost or anything messy. I’m a farmer’s daughter, yes, but I’m also a city girl who knows that there are people I can pay to do this, and shouldn’t I be doing my part to keep the economy alive?
I end up putting on my trusty gardening gloves, grabbing a trowel (is that what I’m supposed to use?) and digging. Throw a floral-plant-thing in it. Cover it with more dirt. Add some water. Then water it again at some point. I think I’m covered….Now what? It grows, right? Sheesh. How long is this gonna take?
A friend told me that she really enjoys the process of gardening. She said, you can put something in the ground and from seed to shaded tree, you see the fruits of your labor. From the initial dig in the soil, to the nurturing, pruning and care of the plant, you can create something really beautiful that you are proud of. But really, I ask, how long is this gonna take? I’m all for beautiful things, but if they are requiring patience on my end, and well, it’s gonna be a long road to pretty….
So I’ve had these plants pictured here for a whole 4 weeks. I’m slightly amazed. Fairly certain they are potted wrong, but it’s a learning curve, I figure. If nothing else it’s something cute to look at it…for another month.
RIP Lavendar, Basil and Rosemary. It’s been lovely.
Use ladybugs for pest control, they eat many types of bugs, mostly aphids. Also if you have bug problems plant some marigolds and the bugs will eat them instead of everything else. We planted our first garden this year also and these seemed to help.
Oh no. I am further confused. I never can understand why I would want more bugs in my life…. : P
Use ladybugs for pest control, they eat many types of bugs, mostly aphids. Also if you have bug problems plant some marigolds and the bugs will eat them instead of everything else. We planted our first garden this year also and these seemed to help.
Oh no. I am further confused. I never can understand why I would want more bugs in my life…. : P
At least the pots are cute!!!!
And that's the one thing I can do right–accessorize!
At least the pots are cute!!!!
And that's the one thing I can do right–accessorize!
nothing's ever finished in a garden, there's potting and transplanting and repotting and replanting and weeding and tweaking and culling and pruning and topping and grafting and oh my god… garden nerd!
nothing's ever finished in a garden, there's potting and transplanting and repotting and replanting and weeding and tweaking and culling and pruning and topping and grafting and oh my god… garden nerd!
Can I just say that I freaking HATE gardening. Much like cleaning, I just don't see the point as everything you put into it will have to be put in again. Also, I think I've been in L.A. too long, b/c as soon as I started reading your post, I was like, "Why doesn't she just hire a gardener?" Then I realized that's people probably tend to their own gardens still in other cities — just no one I know here.
Can I just say that I freaking HATE gardening. Much like cleaning, I just don't see the point as everything you put into it will have to be put in again. Also, I think I've been in L.A. too long, b/c as soon as I started reading your post, I was like, "Why doesn't she just hire a gardener?" Then I realized that's people probably tend to their own gardens still in other cities — just no one I know here.
Can I just say that I freaking HATE gardening. Much like cleaning, I just don't see the point as everything you put into it will have to be put in again. Too frustrating. I need permanent results!
Also, I think I've been in L.A. too long, b/c as soon as I started reading your post, I was like, "Why doesn't she just hire a gardener?" Then I realized that a lot of people probably tend to their own gardens in other cities — just no one I know here, which is why it seems like such a strange thing to do.
Can I just say that I freaking HATE gardening. Much like cleaning, I just don't see the point as everything you put into it will have to be put in again. Too frustrating. I need permanent results!
Also, I think I've been in L.A. too long, b/c as soon as I started reading your post, I was like, "Why doesn't she just hire a gardener?" Then I realized that a lot of people probably tend to their own gardens in other cities — just no one I know here, which is why it seems like such a strange thing to do.
I love the 'idea' of a garden. Many a plant has died at my hands and lofty ideas too. I blame my parents for their huge garden they make look hella easy. It takes a LOT of patience, which I don't carry much of. I am only half kidding when I say we moved into an apartment to get away from yardwork.
Succulents don't survive around me either. The only plant I've ever managed to not kill within days is lavender. It is hearty! Oh and Kangaroo paws are pretty sturdy too (and cool, alien looking).
I love the 'idea' of a garden. Many a plant has died at my hands and lofty ideas too. I blame my parents for their huge garden they make look hella easy. It takes a LOT of patience, which I don't carry much of. I am only half kidding when I say we moved into an apartment to get away from yardwork.
Succulents don't survive around me either. The only plant I've ever managed to not kill within days is lavender. It is hearty! Oh and Kangaroo paws are pretty sturdy too (and cool, alien looking).