Sunflower Save
I guess the downside to planting a small garden is that ever single plant seems precious. Farmers, especially organic ones, expect to lose 20% of their crop. They simply take it in stride. Not me! So when I pulled into the driveway last week, greeted by heavy winds and leaning sunflowers, I knew I had to act.
Earlier this season, I planted several sunflowers from seed, for a near-perfect garden fail. One sunflower survived. To be fair, we do have a thriving squirrel population, so it’s important they don’t go without. 😉
I hit the nursery for a second go and bought a cell pack of (6) six-inch plants instead. I planted the second batch of sunflowers during an early season heat-wave and they all survived. Thrived even! Within a month they had tripled in height with flowers everywhere. Ironically the one plant started from seed continues to grow in height. It’s the big sister to all the other plants.
I digress.
So…I’m driving up the road bemused at the crazy weather, only to see my precious plants bending in the wind. No one else was home to help, so I dragged the heavy wooden garden bench across the yard and the walkway so the plants could lean into the back for support. I grabbed some garden twine and laced up the stalks to the slats in the bench. I’m sure the neighbors thought I had lost it, placing a garden bench at the curb facing the driveway, but I’m past worrying about that.
Garden bench and a card table to the rescue
Relieved that my impromptu support was working, I turned to go inside, only to find the glass hummingbird feeder smashed to pieces. Again with the mighty wind. The wind snapped the tree branch holding the feeder, sending sticky glass crashing to the ground. I found parts of the feeder on the patio step, across the lawn and in the shrubs along the walkway.
Once there was a hummingbird feeder…
“Cleanup on aisle….” Oh right. I guess I’m on my own with this one, too. Ten minutes and one pair of worn out gloves later, the broken glass was up. While I tidied the sharp and sugary mess, hummers buzzed overhead. They couldn’t figure out why dinner had suddenly disappeared. They seemed to think I was responsible.
It was tempting to redirect them to the aforementioned sunflowers for a drink. “Hey…look over there!” Since we’re in the business of spoiling our local wildlife, however, I headed indoors to unearth our backup feeder. I mixed up a quart of sugar-water and we were back in business.
The mighty wind is fierce and strong; the resident gardener, resourceful.
Win or lose?
I think we’ll call this one a draw.
Gardening Nirvana 
Ah, yes, strong winds are garden killjoys, but what a cool head you displayed in a crisis! That was great thinking with the garden bench and card table. So sad about the bird feeder – but you had a back-up!! Ten out of ten for ingenuity and forward thinking!! I hope your fairy gardens and gorgeous felines got through the nasty weather unscathed!!
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Thank you for that vote of confidence! I left it in place for a few days till the winds fully settled down. I’ve also found a sturdier branch for the backup feeder, so lessons learned.
‘Garden killjoy’…that gave me a good giggle. Your are right, indeed.
The fairy gardens did fine. One is low to the ground under shrubs and the other chained to a garden bench, another lesson learned after Mouse the kitty sent it heal over castors on one of his exploring missions.
All felines well and accounted for. =^..^=
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you’re super col and quick thinking…. 😉
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Thank you! Nice to hear from you, too.
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Holy, looks like you really got some good wind there. You’re such a ‘get it done’ girl and I love it. I can see you hiking your bench down to the curb and MacGyvering it in place, I hope you didn’t hurt your back. Your hummingbird feeders are really getting a work over this year, that’s a shame. I’m not surprised you were organized enough to have a backup though, good save my dear. You are Mother Natures number one gal and she’d hug you if she could. mwaaaa
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Boomdee, you and me would have been great pioneers, the get it done gals.
I love that term ‘MacGyvering’..made me smile.
Thanks for thinking of my back. That bench is solid wood, so I had to shimmy it, one leg then the other. Later that week the daycare kids next door were disappointed because they couldn’t use it to climb the magnolia tree. You can’t win them all!
As for Mother Nature, she needs to embrace all of Calgary. She’s dealt quite a blow. Thinking of all of you in the great northern prairies.
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You’d be a much better pioneer than I, but I’d joyfully hang out with you and learn what need be. In a way, the days spent with friends back when, would’ve have seemed endless with so few distractions other than the makings of day to day life. Gardening, baking, tending goats. Goats? Yes goats. I fancy us as pioneers in Switzerland, neighbours with gorgeous window box’s overflowing with flowers and nothing but rolling green hills and streams to distract us.
We’d be goat cheese maidens…WOW, I do prattle on…love you!
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Love you too. And I love the picture you’ve painted, above. Goats are pretty darn cute, too.
xox
Here is to a simpler time.
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I know how destructive those winds are. The bench looked like it was an invitation to come and enjoy the garden area. Good thing you are a fast thinker.
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You know, you may be on to something!
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You are resourceful! You should meet my crazy husband. I came home one very windy day to check on a recently planted tree. I found it propped up and protected by two ladders and two crutches! In the front yard, mind you. The neighbors are still whispering about us…but the tree, today, is magnificent!
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I love it!!!! My hat is off to you and your husband…ladders and crutches. I’ll tuck that one away for future use.
‘Whispering neighbors…’ we must be doing it right!
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I join my voice with the other messengers [messagers[?] in praise of your resourcefulness, quick thinking and sheer MacGyverishness! Inspirational!! And in my mind’s eye I now have a picture of you and Boomdee capering across the Swiss mountainside ala Julie Andrews, goats at your side, sunflowers in hand and Boomdee’s song tinkling on the music track ….. as my young friends say ‘Awesome!!’
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If I were your neighbor, I would have thought “now there’s a smart woman”! Here’s to gentle breezes, happy hummingbirds and sunflowers to make you smile!
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Awww! Thanks, LB. Sounds dreamy.
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