Before starting this post I would like to highlight a very special friend, Derrick, who along with his wonderful wife Jackie tend to one amazing garden! This is one of my favorite bloggers who has a garden that is expansive, varied and gorgeous!
If You Weren’t The Head Gardener

Around five years ago we made our usual late Spring visit to the lake. Mom was busy digging, weeding and moving plants. At that time she offered me “starts” of many of her hearty favorites, some having been there for over 20 years! I hemmed and hawed as the saying goes, until she grabbed the shovel and loosened the soil.
Hours later we backed up the gravel drive and headed home, complete with numerous specimens that wilted in the scorching heat. I have to admit I was iffy and irritated at the thought of digging up grass, finding an area to place these plants and was not looking forward to gardening.
I went through the motions and did the hard work and felt a bit better but still wondered why she had pushed me to take these pieces of her garden. At first it looked like a wasted effort as each plant lay drooping on a scattered makeshift bed. That summer it was all about keeping everything watered and alive. Lake roses looked to be rigid, brittle and brown, and yet something compelled me to keep watering and watching.
The following Spring plants were green and some even bloomed! Eventually more space was needed as roses started to flourish infringing on neighboring plants. Rocks and bark were added along with special items from the recently vacated wood house.
One year garden
A brick from the brickyard where Daddy ( my grandpa Adolph) had worked for years was given to me to place near the purple Iris. This was his favorite plant and when he retired he was given three bricks, one for each of his daughters. 
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The bird bath that stood in the “dream garden” for many years was now placed lovingly alongside Lilies and Columbine. Each year there were new additions, taking plants from Mom’s garden, moving some to other locations if they were not doing well. I learned which ones needed more or less water, sun or shade and was careful when cleaning up debris. It is fun to look back and to see that hard work and patience paid off.
Mom says I have a green thumb and while I am not convinced of that, what I do know is that gardening reminds me in many ways of tending to my family. Patience, room to grow and plenty of care.
Garden now
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