There was a house. This house had a lawn. One of the owners of the house with it's lawn worked at a lawn company. So, for some almost 30 years, the lawn was sprayed and weeded and grassed. It was the most beautiful lawn in the neighborhood. The owners took pride in their sea of grass. Then, a change occurred. The old owners left. New owners came in. The wife took one look at the sea of grass with it's three tiny garden beds and said "Yuck!" The husband took one look at the sea of grass with it's three tiny garden beds and said "Yippee!"
But, the wife was the one that worked in the garden, and she had a vision. She wanted veggie beds and flower beds and herb beds and vines growing on the fences. She didn't want the neighbors to be able to see her house through the sea of lovely plants that got the best of care. She hated grass with a passion. Her friends had said for years that they could see her pulling the grass out of the yard so the weeds would be able to grow better. She loved her husband though, so she conceded and let him have half the yard for his beloved grass. He keeps giving her more of the grassy parts for the garden. He hates yard work as much as she hates grass.
This is the story of my garden. I and my husband moved into a house in Round Rock, TX in April of 2008. It's on the west side of I-35, right behind La Frontera. When I moved in, there were only 3 very small garden beds. One was out front around a small oak tree. Two others were on either side of the porch in the back yard. The lawn was one of the lsuhest and greenest lawns in the neighborhood. I hated it. It looked barren and deadly dull to me. I also knew that they only reason that it was that lush in Texas was because it had been sprayed with chemicals and pesticides and been overwatered for a very long time. I wanted a garden. I wanted to grow all sorts of things. Just about everything under the sun. My husband? He was perfectly happy with the lawn. He had his dream. Sometimes, I think that he still weeps for the loss of his lawn.
I think that chemical pesticides and fertilizers have a place in this world and can be very helpful, when used in moderation. I do not like them for my garden though. My plan for my garden is to be as organic as possible. I also want to be able to eventually grow most of my food. Since I have moved into this house, I have been able to plant my herb bed, several flower beds, and a veggie bed. I also have my vines growing on my fence. I've done a lot in the short time I've been here, and I'm amazed when I look back on it. I can't wait to see what else happens in my garden.
