playing n the dirt

The yard at the end of our block looks perfect.  Every blade of grass looks the exact height and color as the next.  The trees are evenly spaced, the english ivy stays in the beds and the flagstone is perfectly random.  Any block would be proud to have this yard.  I just have one problem with it, it isn’t natural.

There are lots of chemicals used on the lawn, it seems like almost every week they put more on.  English ivy is not native to Colorado and can be every intrusive if it does spread and while evenly spaced the trees will be to close when they get full grown.  I really am not the jealous neighbor.  I would just prefer a yard and garden that were a little more natural.

Nature isn’t perfect and I don’t think our yards and gardens should be either.  That does not mean I don’t think we should not take care of our yards.  However there is a difference between dumping tons of chemicals on our yards and living with a few weeds.  I think our plant options need to be native to the area and not something exotic.  There is something to be said for the surprises of nature and a cottage style yard versus the perfect yard.

Every gardener needs a few good good tools.  I have a pitch fork and shovel, mostly for turning compost and for making new beds.  I use a small hand held pruiner clippers and trowel for keeping garden beds looking neat and trim. 

The other day I was clipping the grass at the edge of a bed when my clippers broke.  I played with them for a while and figured out what was wrong, but I couldn’t make the little hook stay in place.  I figured I’d be done for the day and try to fix them later.  Two days later I still couldn’t keep them working and the grass really needed to be clipped. 

I finally decided I had three choices.  I could keep trying with broken clippers, I could stop and go to the store and buy a new pair or I could try and find something else to do the job.  I decided to try the kitchen sissors.  They worked.  I was done clipping the grass in no time.  I even got my husband to go to the hardware store and buy me a new pair of clippers.