The Garden

Having been raised in an apartment in Brooklyn I never had a backyard. The closest I could come to one was visiting my friend Donald Solomon, who lived on East 15th Street in a house. I even buried one of my turtles in his yard, or maybe it was a fish. 

So, I never expected to ever even have a house, let alone a yard. I have also always wanted a bench. This one sits by the rear landscaped island, and its beauty lies in its physical placement. I can sit there and watch the birds at the bird bath, or just look at the house from a different angle.

The first few houses Sue and I bought were older ones, and so the yards were pretty much laid out. We just followed the existing plan by mowing and planting a few extra trees. It wasn't until we bought a new home some years later that Sue; she's the gardener; began to actually put things in our yard by design. This has been a real treat for me, as I get to use the yard way more than she does. 

This is the birdbath, which although it leaks, provides entertainment for me as I watch the birds dive down for a drink. The fig tree on the right died as a result of the late frost. We will be replacing it. There's nothing like eating fresh figs from the tree in your own garden.

Of course, this patio area; which was our anniversary gift to one another a few years ago; is where I end up spending most of my time in the yard. Sue keeps it filled with all sorts of plants; flowering as well as shrubs. I have some cacti, which amaze me when they bloom almost every year. 

My favorite is the one which Sarah brought home from the Outer Banks about 15 years ago. I planted it by the mailbox at our old house. Everyone said it would die, but it made it. The worst part was digging it up when we moved. It now sits in a large pot. 

And this is the classic view of what I call my "summer office". I can listen to music, read, nod off; even play guitar back here. The neighbors are usually at work so I can even sing if I want to. Look for a photo of this same spot in a few months when everything will be in full bloom. It's my own little piece of paradise.

Early Spring Garden - 2013

This is our patio/garden area 2 days ago. With a bit of hard work by Sue, the place has already begun to show signs of life after the mild, but long, winter. The fig tree to the left is doing nicely, and we expect to enjoy more of its fruit this year, just as we did last year.

The banana tree is still too young to bear fruit, but with some tender loving care, mostly from Sue; I just look at it in awe and admiration; it will thrive and bear with time. I wish I could say the same for this year’s cotton crop, which is mine. The seeds have broken ground, and hopefully, since I planted early this year, they will yield some tangible results beyond the pretty pink flowers which they produce. We will just have to wait and see. The spice plants are all doing nicely and promise to bring some fresh flavor to our cooking once again.

Meantime, I’ll be monitoring the progress from my lounge chair; writing, playing guitar and reading. The winter is really over now, and a whole world of birds and lizards and little furry creatures are beginning to make them-selves known once again. The whole cycle is renewed, and we move on.  Though spring is a time of renewal, it can also be a time of reflection, as we look back upon springs past, remembering Aesop’s fable about the ant and the grasshopper. And this is the time of year we all make that choice.

"Figs From the Garden" by Sue

These are Sue’s figs. I don’t normally show photos of my wife’s figs to total strangers, but I am exceptionally proud of her ability to coax food from the ground, an ability that; as a native of Brooklyn; eludes me. She started with a small bush last year, and we both watered it faithfully at noon each day with about a gallon of water. We did this religiously, whether it had rained or not. And he results are in.

This is the most easily grown natural treat you will ever find. Eaten right from the tree; which the bush has now become, as seen in the photo below; the little golf ball sized fruits are a wonderful relief from the sun. And served indoors, merely sliced on a cold plate, adds to the delight. The bush was exceptionally inexpensive; it cost only about $7; and it bore fruit within 6 months. But you gotta remember to water it! The more water it gets, the juicier and sweeter the fruit.

There were a couple of days this summer when you could actually watch it droop while waiting for the daily watering. But those were the exceptionally hot days, when the temperature soared to over 100 degrees.

Up until now, my only experience with figs came in the Middle East, where the fruit is grown abundantly. But, through the imagination and hard work of Sue, my Garden of Eden out back now includes a fig tree. I can actually lie outside now, and when I get thirsty just grab a fig. That’s what I call being wealthy. Now I can’t wait to see how my cotton does. If all goes well, I may have enough to make a small handkerchief.