October 21, 2008

The Bank

When I first moved in, the steep bank that runs along the side of my house was a veritable wasteland: ragged strips of black plastic overlaid with 8 inches of dusty, weed infested gravel. Passersby walked their dogs there, threw trash and cigarette butts.

Overwhelmed with everything else that needed attention, I ignored it for a full year. Then Abigail came for a visit! Helping me in the garden one day, she bravely planted a single poppy (Apricot Chiffon) along the steps that lead up to the street. The poppy was so beautiful with it's translucent, ruffled and pleated petals that of course I had to remove the trash and weeds from around it! Then bit by bit the rest of the weeds were pulled, the gravel scraped off, the soil amended and before I knew it there was a lovely, wild and (almost) out-of-control dryland garden there. And all due to that single poppy.

Now as the light levels drop, the air grows cooler, the bank begins it's slide into winter rest.

7 comments:

Jean said...

Beautiful! And aren't friends helpful? They sometimes show us the beauty we miss.

Chloe Marguerite said...

Jean,

Yes, friends are wonderful - and Abigail in particular possesses an uncommon eye for beauty.

kate smudges said...

I love reading about how a garden evolves ...from the single poppy planted by your friend into something wild and beautiful. It sometimes takes a friend to get our creative energies flowing ... or a flower!

Lona @ Hocking Hills Gardener said...

It turned out just gorgeous!
Made for a good memory with a friend too.

Susie said...

I don't know what that bank looked like before but what a beautiful garden you have now. You must be very pleased with it now.

Chloe Marguerite said...

Kate,

Yes, it was quite an evolution from that one brave and beautiful poppy that Abby planted!

Chloe

Chloe Marguerite said...

Iona and Susie,

Thank you for your comments! I'm enjoying it more and more as it fills in. I love the grasses as they catch the light and plan to add more next spring.

Chloe