Mary's Garden

Dear Diary,

Yesterday was quite hot but not much humidity and there was a breeze that helped make it tolerable.  I went to visit a garden of one of the women in our gardening group.  It was very expansive and divided into different "rooms" with themes like Alice in Wonderland, fairies, and even a Japanese garden.  All I could think was, "How does she maintain all this?"  She had a charming potting shed, a vegetable garden and an herb garden as well. 

I love to visit gardens...it is so inspiring but I have to hold my aspirations in check.  Planning and planting a garden is only the first step...then comes the maintenance and that is the most difficult part.  Speaking of maintenance, the cooler weather promised for today will allow me to get out in my own garden and begin the mid-summer clean-up.  It is in a sorry state.  The day lilies are nearly done but the phlox has just entering its prime so that is reassuring.  One thing passes and another comes in...each in its turn.

"What dreadful hot weather we have!  It keeps me in a continual state of  inelegance,"
Jane Austen, Sept. 1796.