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Quote of the Day: Janet Kilburn Phillips

July 27th, 2014

“There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments.”
-Janet Kilburn Phillips

planting boxwood
I was talking with someone recently who was mortified of planting perennials because “Once you put them somewhere they can’t be moved”. I am not that kind of gardener, I move perennials all the time. In fact I often purchase perennials and plant them in a holding area of the garden while I decide where to put them or move other perennials to make space for them. In my garden I move any plant, small trees, shrubs, annual and perennials. As long as you get a big enough root ball and water well for a month or so just about any plant can be moved. In fact, many perennials do much better when they’re dug up and divided every few years.  Gardening is the ultimate form of art because there really are no mistakes, it’s all part of the process.

Do you have any gardening fears?

5 Comments to “Quote of the Day: Janet Kilburn Phillips”
  1. Natasha on July 27, 2014 at 8:14 am

    Yes! I’m afraid of making mistakes because I also thought you couldn’t really move plants. At least, not easily.

    I also just seem to stink at growing my own food. I’m planning on continuing, though!

    Reply to Natasha's comment

  2. Nebraska Dave on July 27, 2014 at 8:27 am

    Susy, I never really thought of a garden being an art form but I suppose it could be. I don’t really have any garden fears unless you consider a snake popping up out of a foliage covered area a fear. That’s more of a surprise than a fear. I know snakes are a garden’s friend but I just don’t like surprises in the garden. They are just too sneaky. I tolerate them as long as I don’t see them. I haven’t seen any this year but I suspect they are still lurking in the near by brush just waiting to give me another good scare.

    I’m not much for moving plants around the yard or garden. I don’t have many perennial plants in the garden. The yard at the Urban Ranch has many but they are spring flowers that die back in the summer. I haven’t touched them in probably ten years but it not from fear but just plain being unconcerned. They just come up every year and look nice for a time and then go back to sleep. I don’t have that creative touch for flower gardens. I keep trying to improve the creative side but it always comes out in rows.

    Have a great day in the no mistake garden.

    Reply to Nebraska Dave's comment

  3. Maybelline on July 27, 2014 at 10:33 am

    Fearless.
    (But full of mistakes.)

    Reply to Maybelline's comment

  4. KimH on July 27, 2014 at 12:53 pm

    LOL The only fear I have regarding gardening is that I dont have enough room to grow everything I want to… I buy plants all the time, almost always perennials and hope & pray I can find a place to tuck it in.. :P This weekend I bought 2 ferns & a Valerian plant!

    I move my perennials all the time… at least till I find them the perfect home.. I dont follow most gardening rules for the majority of my plants/gardens but they thrive anyways. I always tell people “Dont tell my plants that this isnt the way its supposed to be done.. they dont know any better!” :)

    I only had one hydrangea almost go belly up because I moved it so often & it just wasnt happy where I was putting it… Its happy now & flourishes.. :) Everything else I have grow like gangbusters!

    Reply to KimH's comment

  5. Wendy on July 28, 2014 at 11:23 am

    Happy Birthday!!! :) ~W~

    Reply to Wendy's comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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