By coincidence, a kind friend gave me a plant of my choice just as I was mulling over options for what to do with a bed in which I have so far failed to grow anything much. The chief reason for its lack of productivity seems to be the way the eaves of the house overhang it and block the rain, creating a miniature desert. Since the bed does get some direct sunlight despite the overhang, I decided to try planting hardy succulents. The eastern prickly-pear cactus (Opuntia humifusa) is actually native to this region, so I got a couple of those and added a few hens-and-chicks (Sempervivum sp.). There's lots of space left for the cactuses to grow and the hens-and-chicks to spread. We'll see how it goes!
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| My new succulent bed |
If I'm planting a new garden bed, does that mean I'm on top of things in my garden? Most definitely not! But it's more fun to add new things than to weed old ones yet again. Hence the succulent bed!
I have been feeling fairly well lately, and I have now regained all the weight I lost in 2024 and the first weeks of 2025. But my strength and stamina are still lower than I'd like. It makes me very unsure about what to take on and how much to commit to. Hopefully that will come clear over time. Meanwhile, I'm walking and doing yoga to try to get stronger.
I hadn't realized the eastern US had any cacti - very clever solution to your micro-ecosystem challenge. And succulents sound so delicious!
ReplyDeleteAt least there's one bed you don't have to worry about the deer eating!!
ReplyDeleteExactly!
DeleteA friend of mine believes yoga can cure anything so do let me know how it makes you feel. I struggle with the patience factor. I think it's wonderful how connected you are to the Earth.
ReplyDeleteCuring everything is too much to ask, but I think it can make just about any health condition just a bit better. It's really good for overall tone, which I had really lost.
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