Planting ...

"O God, you take care of the earth
and water it,
making it rich and fertile ...
You soften the earth with showers
and bless its abundant crops."
PSALM 65:9a & 10b

Yesterday Grandpa Jones and I drove out to Allendale in the pouring rain to Countryside Greenhouse to purchase flowers and plants. I've heard about this greenhouse for years and years, both from folk I used to work with over at RVO, as well as Roy. Roy's son, David, drives all the way from Chicago each spring just so he can purchase his annuals over at Countryside. I guess I wasn't listening very well when people told me about this place, because I was totally unprepared for what it was ... the hugest greenhouse I have ever been to! Full to the brim of the most beautiful flowers and plants EVER. And good deals on them too! It was fun to do all of our shopping inside the greenhouse, listening to the rain pounding on the roof above. It continued to rain all morning and into the afternoon.
I was looking to buy two hanging baskets ... but smaller baskets this year so that they wouldn't stress the metal hanger I purchased years ago. If the baskets are too heavy, it makes the hanger lean weird and look like it's going to snap in two any minute! Since I decided to plant the beautiful hibiscus plant out in front in the smaller flower bed on the north side of our house, I wanted the hanging baskets to kind of match its beautiful apricot color ... or at least NOT clash with it. I picked out two baskets of mini-petunias ~ one of this pretty pink, and the other is kind of a golden peachy color. I like them very much.
And look at these Begonia! I have never ever seen them in peach before ... don't they look almost yummy enough to eat?! I planted three nice-sized ones surrounding the hibiscus. And I also put in some dainty white alyssum, coleus, and inpatiens. I'll try to get a better picture when I have everything planted.
I ended up buying four flats of flowers (they were on sale for $5.99 each) ... that's 144 individual plants ... as well as quite a few pots of spreading petunia. But I also picked up a couple of perennials, and I am so excited about them. I've been trying to read up on perennials and purchase a few each year with the goal of having mostly a perennial garden in the future, with only a few annuals scattered here and there for nice color. The perennials I bought were: one Forever and Ever Hydrangea (that's what it said on the tag!), one Asiatic Lily (in a gorgeous pink), one Dappled Willow, and then my very very favorite ~ a White Hardy Rhododendron ~ the blossoms are so amazing ... they remind me of a bridal gown all in chiffon. It's taken me two afternoons already and I'm still not finished planting all of this good stuff.

Grandpa Jones bought practical plants like green bean seeds, beet seeds, onion bulbs, tomato plants ~ and he kind of turned his nose down on my frivolous purchases ... but that's okay ... he's growing more and more tolerant of my excesses all the time! I did buy three zucchini plants, though, and I'm very enthusiastic about them! I'm also trying to grow some sunflowers from seed. They are in little pots on the back deck. I'm hoping they will sprout!

All this planting reminds me of a passage of Scripture that I have always loved from Isaiah 61:2-3: "He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD's favor has come ... to all who mourn in Israel, he will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the LORD has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory." Or as the NIV translates verse three: "They will be oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his glory."

I would like my life to be "a planting of the LORD for the display of his glory" ... wouldn't you?