In front of the house,
at the very front of my yard,
I have a big new 4′ x 100′ garden bed.
It’s ready and waiting for planting. I have accumulated dozens of potted trees, shrubs, perennials on the deck while waiting for this flower/shrub bed to be edged, irrigated and loads of organic matter added.
Planting or transplanting all my garden treasures as the summer is steadily heating up, will be a challenge. Watering this first year will be a priority. I’m using drip irrigation, or leaky hoses, sometimes called drip tape.
Conservation is not a priority in the neighborhood. My neighbor regularly waters the streets and walkways while watering his lawn. There are no fire or burning restrictions in the neighborhood, and no water conservation. All the surrounding neighbors use herbicides and pesticides. My tiny acre of the world sometimes looks a little too natural surrounded by all these manicured lawns.
Who knows if my organic gardening and conservation efforts will make any difference? Global warming is not a problem. Conserving gasoline, water, electricity is not a priority. It’s easier to complain about the rising gasoline and utility prices than to DO something about it. That’s the inconvenient truth in this tiny neighborhood.
Patsy Bell Hobson is a freelance writer based in Missouri. For her, it's a great day when she can combine the two things she enjoys most: gardening and traveling. 