Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 64
SINGING IN THE GARDEN
The Importance
of Being Stern
What makes resisting temptation difficult for many people
is they don't want to discourage it completely. -Franklin P. Jones
Text and art by GINNY NEIL
A
ny hint of spring weather makes me itch to
put my fingers in the dirt, so on the first tolerable day, I go outside and examine the warming soil. There's not much up, yet. Just a few
crocuses and some brave daffodils, but they
mark the boundaries of my cottage garden.
I call the area my cottage garden because I
drew it all out on paper after reading a delightful book
about English gardens. My little plot was meant to be,
like its British cousins, informally delightful, filled with
a mixture of ornamentals and edibles, and so densely
planted that all it required of me was supreme admiration: a garden that got by on its abundant charm rather
64
BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
than its understated elegance.
Unfortunately, what it's become is a garden that starts
out with understated elegance, but ages into a cross between a cottage garden and a jungle. It's all my fault. I'm
too soft-hearted.
It starts like this. I go about the first round of weeding
with great enthusiasm. Gardening is such a hopeful occupation in the spring of the year. I am careful to leave
every intentional plant in place. But, I also leave their
unintentional progeny. They're so small and helpless.
Surely they won't take up too much room.
Within two weeks, the parent plants are reaching out and touching each other. "Hello, friend," they
http://www.BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - Intro
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 3
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 4
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 5
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 6
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 7
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 8
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 9
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 10
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 11
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 12
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 13
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 14
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 15
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 16
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 17
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 18
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 19
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 20
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 21
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 22
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 23
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 24
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 25
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 26
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 27
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 28
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 29
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 30
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 31
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 32
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 33
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 34
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 35
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 36
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 37
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 38
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 39
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 40
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 41
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 42
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 43
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 44
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 45
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 46
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 47
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 48
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 49
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 50
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 51
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 52
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 53
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 54
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 55
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 56
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 57
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 58
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 59
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 60
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 61
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 62
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 63
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 64
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 65
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - 66
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2020 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-nov-dec-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-sept-oct-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-november-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-sept-oct-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/BlueRidgeCountryMarchApril2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/BRCND21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/BRCSO21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brcja21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_11_12
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130708
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com