Herb's garden

How cool is it that my Dad was named Herb and loved to garden? Kismet! I've always wanted to plant an herb garden with every herb I could get my grubby gardener hands on and name it after my Dad, Herb. Herb's garden! Awesome, right? Ya, I'm a little corny.

I've been planning this a long, long time. I knew our first house in the city was not our forever home so I couldn't do it there. Herb's garden, after all, is the kind of thing that cries out for permanence, home base for life, that kind of thing. And Herb, not unlike his daughter (me) would never live in the city permanently.

So... when we bought our forever, small town country home, well, I can't say it was the first thing I did, because the first thing I did was get married to the love of my life under our very own tree in our very own forever backyard. Hey, I warned you that I'm corny. Anyway... the next thing I did was start planning Herb's garden. For next year.

And now it's next year and guess what? Still no Herb's garden. It's time for the gradual garden to make some progress. Because, in hundred degree weather, last summer, I tore apart my old fenced garden, taking the first steps toward my dream.

You guys, I spent a whole day hauling heavy tub containers out of there on a dolly, setting up an official potting shed, etc. But don't worry about me. It felt good. Really, really good. Exhausting for sure. But good. No. Great!

The vision is spectacularly quaint, you guys. Baskets, pots and such, overflowing with herbs and flowers everywhere. Some of them hanging among mason jars from the fence or suspended from the pergola-type roof we plan to add. And maybe a little bistro like table and chairs or even something more comfy for iced tea, lemonade or margarita breaks.

And now I'm sitting out here on our humble little warped deck (a project for another time) staring at the spot where Herb's garden might possibly come to life in full bloom this year and feeling like the million bucks I have never had. I'm absolutely giddy, you guys.

And here's the thing, I know that when your fantasies come to life, the result may not reflect your vision exactly. But hey, whatever Herb's garden morphs into, it will still be awesome. Watching your dreams transition into reality is not about perfection. It's about the beautiful, imperfect reality your vision becomes. 

Dad would be proud.