A Hobbit Perennial Garden
I pulled into my driveway yesterday and sighed as I thought about all of the weeding I had to do. Lately, I have been weeding and weeding and weeding! Weeding is not fun, but I try to make it more interesting by imagining that I am rescuing my starving little plants from their evil captors. But yesterday I just didn’t feel like weeding. I felt like I needed to do something a bit more creative instead. I know that sounds selfish, but sometimes you need to listen to what your mind and body are telling you. So I got on my tractor, backed up to my set of disks and went up the hill to till up a small canvas to start my Hobbit Perennial Garden.
Designing the Garden Backdrop
After searching around, I found some climbing columns from an old patio cover that we used to have. For the time being, I thought that they might make a nice background for the garden. I also found a five foot piece of a white birch tree and decided that it belonged in there somewhere also.
Preparing to Plant the Garden
I had some nice rich compost from the cows and began to build the soil up a few inches. I brought the four-wheeler up with the sprayer so I could water the holes really good before I began to plant. Then, I grabbed every movable perennial that I could find on the property and started to place and move and dig until my concept started to take some shape.
What Perennials Did I Put in the Garden?
I grabbed a Hollyhock, a delphinium, 2 different varieties of Hibiscus, 2 Tiger Lillies, 2 Shasta Daisies, a Black-eyed Susan, 1 Astilbe, 1 Coneflower, 2 Coreopsis, 1 SkyRocket, and one nice little pot of marigolds from the greenhouse.
(Quick side note: if you are planting potted plants into the ground, it is best to water the hole that you are planting in and “tease” the roots out really good so that they are free to expand into their new environment.)
Adding the Finishing Touches
Next, I added some interesting rocks and mulch to help keep those evil weeds down.
There that looks better. 35 rocks and 4 bags of mulch and I think that we are well fortified to repel any herbaceous invasion attempts. The mulch was only $5 per bag, and well worth the added protection. The mulch is also good for holding moisture for our plants to use later.
What Makes It a Hobbit Garden?
Now after all of this creation, what makes this a “Hobbit” Perennial Garden and not just a Perennial Garden? The answer is a Hobbit Hole!
My daughter, Kayla, and I are HUGE ‘Lord of the Rings’ fans. She even spent four months in New Zealand and actually got to visit the Shire!
When she returned, we decided to create our own little piece of the Shire right here on Thistle Downs, and so our Hobbit Hole came to be.
Stay tuned for a follow-up article all about how we built the Hobbit Hole. It was a fun and challenging project, and totally worth the effort!
Conclusion
Well, I have spent a lot of time with you today and I think the Hobbit Perennial Garden turned out great!You have also made me realize something. I am no longer an outsider looking in at the hobbit world of the Shire. Now, I am an insider looking out!
I don’t know if I will encounter Orcs and Trolls and Dragons and Evil Wizards, but I do know that there is a battle that calls my name.
Now, I must go to the rescue of my helpless plants and fight the battle of the insidious WEEDS!
Find your Quest, Chin to the Wind, Fight the Good Fight, but always Enjoy your Journey! Because every day is PRECIOUS! (Sorry, I love Gollum and couldn’t resist.)
I wish you…
Love, Peace, and Light!
Terry,
Thistle Downs Farm
Terry has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. He has taught in the New York State School system for 18 years, where he teaches Career and Financial Management, Agricultural Business, Marketing and Distribution, Sports Management, Wildlife Conservation Management, and Resort and Recreation Management. His time has also been spent as an FFA advisor for 12 years and he has been farming his 100-acre family farm since 1991. Terry has a deep love of all types of agriculture and takes every opportunity to promote agricultural education.