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my first attempt at gardening

I decided this morning that I would mow the lawn. Alun normally does it but as he's been away a lot, and our weather has been really rainy then suddenly sunny, the grass has loved this and has grown in the last month to my waist height.

I was not looking forward to sorting the grass out. I hate mowing the lawn, you know.

But I did it :) I pressed on. I mowed and sang along the songs on my phone's playlist. I pulled weeds and prayed for those I love. I mowed a little more. I filled our rubbish bin with wonderfully green, lush grass cuttings.

Then on a whim, I decided to buy some flowers to plant in the empty 'borders' in our front and back garden.

I walked to Bunnings (in the UK, it's called "B&Q") and wondered around frowning. How does anyone make sense of this place? Why is this every man's favourite store - it's mental! I think I was the only female there at 2pm on a Wednesday afternoon. I eventually purchased a little trowel, a tiny shovel, a pair of horrid looking secetuers (sorry...not sure how to spell it - gardening scissors, basically) fertiliser pellets, 12 little pots of flowers (they were sold in "six packs" - that made me smile - must be more appealing to blokes when it sounds like beer, haha!) and a bright pink watering can.

I got home and felt bugged enough by the long grass shoots on the edges of the lawn (the ones against the fence that the lawn mower couldn't reach and that were too stubborn to come out when I pulled against them) to decide to cut them. In the heat of our Perth spring day, I got on my hands and knees and crawled around the edges of the lawn, snipping in a determined fashion. I did 2 sides. I was so tried and fed up of cutting the grass manually. I will do the remaining sides another day.

To cheer myself up, I decided to plant the flowers I bought :)

Here's a secret for you - I've never planted anything in my life.

I have no idea. The 5-year-old child in me thinks "It's easy. Just dig a hole and put a plant in it. Presto"

But the adult in me doubts it's that straightforward.

So I frowned while reading the back of the fertiliser bag. It wasn't open yet but was already quite smelly. Yuck.

"One handful is about 70 grams. Mix 100 grams into a meter's worth of soil then plant your flowers"

Hmm.

Is this a meter across - or down?

And...my hand is really small - so is that two handfuls for me?

and what does "Mix" mean? literally move the pellets around in the soil? or something else? and it says "plant your flowers" but how far apart?

So I guessed. I planted each little plant about 20 cms from each other.

In hindsight, I wish I'd planted them closer to the front of the border so that I could plant some 'taller flowers/plants' behind them. I have 'kangaroo paw' in mind - it's so pretty and red. I love it.

I took two "janet handfuls" and used my little trowel to 'mix'  the fertiliser through the dirt. I made a small hole with my little shovel and placed a plant in it. Tiny Janet was pleased with this. I carefully filled in the remaining space around my plant with soil and gently patted it around the base.

Once I had planted my 6 little flowering plants...I stood back to survey my hard work.

...and felt like I could conquer the world.

This. looked. AWESOME.

The fertiliser pack said "water in well"

Hmm.

Not sure what that means, but I enjoyed filling my pink watering can and seeing the 'rain-like' water flow down upon my flower 'babies'. I did this 3 times.

I feel so excited. I think there is something very special about planting something and *crosses fingers* watching it grow.

I'm so giddy about my flowers that I've checked on them 6 times since I've planted them.

I've also given them 'one last watering' before the sun went down.

Its probably too early to say, but you know what? I think I really like gardening xx





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