She planted 11 kinds of herbaceous flowers in a 6 sq m flower bed, so beautiful it looked like a garden and won praise from passersby

This article is a reader submission

Author: Li Damao

There is an abandoned little flower bed at the entrance, with a few perennial flowers and plants hastily planted in early autumn last year scattered here and there. Renovating it and enriching it was one of my plans for 2018. In mid-April, when the snow melted and the ground thawed, I widened the border by more than 20 cm, then turned the soil over and mixed in some horse manure to make the soil loose and soft. It is an oval shape, 3 m at its longest horizontally and 2.5 m at its longest vertically. This is the desolate look before the work began.

Some perennial flowers and plants had once been planted here, and they quietly sprouted, reaching out from the harsh winter to catch the breath of spring, sprouting and turning green one after another. Then I filled the empty spots with some annual flowers and plants. At this point they were still sparse, but full of hope. This still-thin little flower bed could be said to have begun its brilliant journey of 2018. Companionship is the longest confession of love, and I patiently waited for the day they would cover everything.

The small perennial cold-hardy flowers planted in the ground cannot wait to sprout and bloom as soon as they catch the breath of spring.

Gypsophila (creeping baby's breath)

Gypsophila, also known as creeping baby's breath (creepy baby"s breath), this super cold-hardy carpet-style little flower has never let me down, and has always been the star of my flower bed. It is the first to catch the breath of spring, waking up from seemingly withered old branches and leaves, a full size larger than last year. Call it delicate, yet it is the first to wake from a -40 degree harsh winter; call it tough, yet with flowers as tender as a baby's, how can anyone believe it has survived the harsh winter again and again. It is only because I took one more glance at you in the crowd that I have never forgotten your face since, and that is talking about you.

It wakes in late April, and by early June it is covered in flower buds, having stored up energy for a whole winter and releasing it without restraint. The full bloom period lasts as long as a month, then it blooms sporadically into the end of August.

Canterbury bells

Canterbury bells were not to be outdone either, stretching hard at the waist, a full size larger than last year, and blooming in lively profusion.

White ones, purple ones, vying to outshine one another.

Dianthus

Dianthus under the morning dew, crystal clear, so lovely you cannot bear to put it down. In evenly textured soil, under even sunlight, it gradually grew into a standard ball shape.

Dianthus 'Arctic Fire'

Iceland poppy

Iceland poppy does not tolerate intense heat, but it is indeed cold-hardy. This can be considered a gift from nature to us. It emerges in early spring, and before long it stretches out a long neck and tosses out meteoric fireballs.

Daisy fleabane

It is called daisy fleabane, but it actually sprouts from perennial roots, blooming from late July, with a full bloom period lasting as long as 2 weeks, a pale purple, waving in the wind.

Soapwort

By early July, the little flower bed was full of life. The perennials were in full bloom, and the annual herbaceous flowers were growing vigorously.

However beautiful the perennials are, after their brilliant display they gradually go dormant one after another. A handful of wildflower seeds scattered in the empty spots in early spring took root and sprouted one after another, and after the perennials made their exit, they made a shining entrance. At this point in the flower bed, the perennials were slowly leaving the stage. The flower bed was not lonely because of the perennials' departure; instead, it became even livelier.

Cut-flower baby's breath

Cut-flower baby's breath, swaying in the wind, and I cut a bunch for flower arranging. It has always played a supporting role, and this time let it be the star for once. After cutting off the flowering branches, it will immediately send out side branches again, blooming from early June all the way to the end of August. One vase of cut flowers every week, and I can enjoy flowers without leaving home.

Cornflower

The summer garden never lacks the passion of red, and purple-toned flowers and plants should count as something special. Pick the cornflower petals, steep them in hot water, and they have a unique fragrance.

Petunia

This year I arranged for the petunias to occupy the C position, and they truly did not let me down. After taking root and adapting to the new soil, they came in a sweeping mass. From an initial 15 cm diameter, they grew into today's 1 m large flower carpet. This was within my expectations, because I plant this petunia every year, and it has never let me down.

Chrysanthemum

Various chrysanthemums, blooming with unique charm.

Large-flowered delphinium

I unexpectedly discovered that among the seeds I scattered there were actually 3 colors of large-flowered delphinium, and next year they will sprout from the old roots.

Watering

This article must give a grand thank you to my flower bed companion, the little water cart. This place is far from a water source, and every day I bring 2 buckets of water, pull them with it, and walk 200 m to this place to water. The flowers, having drunk their fill, bloom in profusion and repay me with beauty, thanking me for my care.

Shuttling back and forth, I really feel like a standard farm woman. The noise and luxury of the city have nothing to do with me at this time; whether flower pots or a garden, they all make me linger and be unwilling to let go.

The local weather is dry, with little rainfall. So after dinner every day, I also did not forget that the flower bed under the blazing sun also needs nourishment, so I pulled 2 buckets of water, facing the sunset glow, and headed over in grand fashion.

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Fertilizing

Well-rotted soybean residue, once a week, or twice, scoop out the amount of one soup spoon and pour it into these 2 buckets of water. Light fertilizer applied frequently, this fertilizer rich in nitrogen and phosphorus helps keep the flowers blooming.

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Weeding

Because the flower bed is in the grass, weeds will creep over, so I regularly remove weeds. The best way to prevent weeds is to cut the lawn in a neat line all around, keeping a certain height difference between the lawn soil and the flower bed soil. Because grass roots fear light and have shallow roots, cutting to a depth greater than the depth of the grass roots can effectively prevent the grass roots from creeping out.

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Chrysanthemums, free-range the Buddhist way

None of the flowers and plants were pinched back, and no buds were picked off; they bloomed naturally. Blooming in a full head, passionate and unrestrained; but blooming sporadically, with lush green and sparse red, is also wonderful in its own way.

If you have time, picking off the wilted flowers also has the effect of branching, and it reduces the waste of nutrients and encourages more buds.

The petunias occupying the C position spread out into a round pancake. Thinking of how tender they once were, and looking at how domineering they are now, most of the credit goes to a good variety (the supertunia series), with strong branching. I did not pinch back or pick off buds, and with ample sunlight, ample water, and ample fertilizer, they achieved this petunia flower carpet as round as a big pancake.

Every time I stop here, I am unwilling to leave; every grain of soil and every leaf has been touched by me, and passersby also slow down. When they run into me tending things here, they all sincerely praise me and thank me, because the colorful flower bed makes this little path no longer lonely, and lets everyone, amid busy life, take out a little bit of time to feel the beauty and feel the gifts of nature.

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