The Little Garden that Shone.

In the Spring of 2004, a little garden sat next to a shed, in front of a sagging wooden fence. The little garden had a lot of growing to do, but it showed off its bright yellow and orange Calendulas proudly:

A year later, the little Shed Garden had creamy yellow roses to display, grey Curry Plant and golden Achilleas. It had a Rosemary bush and some Violets spreading out. But all was not well. There were gaps where some plants had died. The Nandinas and Daisies were not growing at all and two of the roses were spindly and looked sick. The little garden was worried. What was to become of it?

In the next two years, the little garden experienced many changes. A Bottlebrush was planted and began to grow strongly, but other new plants came and went, failing to thrive. And then the sagging fence fell down and was replaced by a hard, new, metal one. In the process, the poor little garden was dug up, trampled and then left to fend for itself. Lemon Balm filled the spaces and it became a mostly green garden, lush but unkempt and unloved. The little Shed Garden was ignored as other gardens around it were nurtured and planted with bright flowers.

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Then, in 2007, some bright red Flanders Poppies marched in confidently, waking up the little garden and the gardener:

An exciting idea was born: the little garden would no longer be merely a Shed Garden, but a Sunset Border, in bold shades of red, orange, yellow and purple. It would grow tall to hide the hard, metal fence, and its foliage and flowers would glow in the sunlight of late Summer afternoons.

The little garden felt hopeful as it was weeded and replanted in early Spring, 2008. By the beginning of Summer, it felt itself growing up and filling out. Perhaps one day it could really be a Sunset Border, instead of a little Shed Garden:

Over the next three years, the gardener grew too. She learned which plants would thrive in the little garden, and she learned how to look after them. She weeded and pruned and plotted and planned. There would be highlights for every season, but late summer would be the little garden's time to really shine.

...........



And in late Summer 2012, the little Shed Garden finally stepped on stage, for its first appearance as a Sunset Border.



The little garden had come a long way, and it was shining with happiness.