Here’s another story from my mother, Dorothy Howard Adler, written in 1984.
The land was good with great possibilities. The buildings all needed repairs or replacement. The house had no foundation; it was on stones which held it up several inches off the ground. When it rained, there were ponds under the house, in the front yard, in the backyard, in the barnyard.
Trees were scarce, flowers nonexistent. So I started planting anything anyone gave me. Weeds were plentiful – you can’t imagine! When I asked my aunt for lilies of the valley, she said, “You don’t want THAT! They’ll take the place!” (They didn’t.) When I asked for a yellow rose, I heard the same thing: “You don’t want THAT! They’ll take the place!” (It’s been gone over 30 years.)
Crepe Myrtle from a neighbor was supposed to take the place. They don’t want THAT! (It doesn’t even cover one corner.) Same story with hollyhocks. And would you believe they did cover several square feet one summer? After the septic tank had to be replaced, the hollyhocks took over and turned a bare spot into a beauty spot. But they have long since given way to grass. No, they didn’t take the place.
Morning glories were going to take the place. Wild ones try to in the field, but the heavenly blues lasted only one season. Honeysuckle, likewise. Do you even know where it is? Yes, it still grows but I certainly wouldn’t say it has taken much of anything. The fields are still good. The tiling, weed spray, fertilizer, and Dad’s good management have improved them. The house sits on a proper foundation.
There are roses, wisteria, honeysuckle, many varieties of iris, poppies, four kinds of lilies (besides lilies of the valley) bleeding heart, peonies, obedience plant, tulips by the score, lilacs, alyssum, creeping phlox, mums, violets, grape hyacinths, hen and chickens, and several plants I can’t name. Candy tuft comes up every year and the skunk plant grows vigorously.
This year there will be gladiolas for about the first time. There will be other annuals such as marigolds, petunias, scarlet sage. Trees and evergreens are plentiful. Dad planted fruit trees last year and more this spring.
But so far nothing is taking the place!