Mama Bouchard Talks: How Does Your Garden Grow?

For the past four years, while we lived in Texas, we traveled home to N.C. each summer and spent about 6 weeks with my mom and step-dad. Those summers have given my girls lasting memories that they will cherish forever. One memory, in particular, happened without any sort of planning. Aren't those the best ones? You see, each year Popi (my step-dad) plants a few vegetables along the back wall of our house and sometimes a few in the interior wall. It started with Olivia. Each afternoon they would go out, bag in hand, and collect the day's vegetables and then water them that evening. Every.single.day. Just her and Popi. The next summer we showed up and there was a custom made sign stuck in the interior garden, "Scoobie's Garden".

Scoobie is the nickname Popi has for Olivia. It is a long story. But we all have them, and they are always given by Popi. That made this Momma melt. It made Olivia's whole summer. By the third summer, Addison was coming up on three so I suggested to Popi he might make her a little space when I sent him a package of herb seeds in the mail (with a few others Olivia had picked out) and asked him to plant them for her. He did. Cutest little square of herbs you have ever seen and she lit up every time we trimmed some to cook with. Last year she even got to cut some herself. The fact that we lived in Texas and were under water restriction for most of the summers did not lend itself to much gardening. And we were never there. Details. But, times have changed. We live in Florida where the sun shines and it most certainly rains. So we decided to plant a garden. But first we had to build one.

Then we had to get dirt. This is where the best neighbors ever come in. They have a truck. One that I don't think should get dirty but he swears that is what it is for. He loaded up his three kids, Man and Olivia and they went to get dirt. There is even a special song that must be played in the truck...so I've heard.

With close supervision from Treyson...

we were finally ready to put the seeds in the ground. This is where it could go all wrong. Apparently I should have started them indoors like weeks ago. But hey, our outside is producing the same temperature the package calls for inside. We're living on the edge.

After it was all said and done and watered and watered and watered we ate some lunch and then did some moving. Moving established plants and trees that is. Yes. I might be known for this in some circles. I will not tell. You see, the previous owners planted 5 gardenias within about a foot and a half of each other. That will never work in any gardening world I have lived in. Ever. First there was some small business to take care of. Three small trees that is.