As a novice gardener, I heartily welcomed the first frost of the season. Finally, the weeds in my yard stopped growing.
Spring started out promising enough. I turned over some dirt by the side of the house and purchased a flower garden from a mail-order catalog. I wasn’t even discouraged when puny plants and bare-roots arrived in plastic baggies, instead of the flourishing 2-foot-tall specimens I was expecting.
Then the growing season began. My flowers flourished, but so did every weed . Before I knew it, the crab grass and purslane had taken over. Loathe to apply any chemicals, I plucked by hand. But mostly, I let nature take over. And I waited … for winter.
Next spring, I have big plans: I’m leaving it to the professionals. I’ll hire a landscaper to put in new sod and help with the flowerbeds. I look forward to when my garden is under control and only needs light weeding.
Robin is a staff writer who recently joined
Angie’s List magazine. She lives in South Broad Ripple, Indianapolis with her husband and a cat in a tiny bungalow that needs lots of work.
There’s Angie’s List. Which is great and wonderful and the list I’ve turned to when I’ve needed a mechanic, a plasterer or a chimney repairman. And then there’s this other list I sometimes use — the “I Gotta Guy List.” Friends or neighbors supply this list, usually by saying, “I gotta a guy who…” or “I know a guy who…” This list is very short, but the repairmen on it have been fantastic. Often I get to see their work in person before I hire them. I always compare lists to see if the repairman is on both. If not, I offer to add him (or her) to Angie’s List.
So I confess. Tonight, I’m meeting a plumber at my house who’s on my “I Gotta Guy List” but not Angie’s List. I hope that’s not grounds for dismissal?! (I promise to submit a report on their service!)
Robin is a staff writer who recently joined
Angie’s List magazine. She lives in South Broad Ripple, Indianapolis with her husband and a cat in a tiny bungalow that needs lots of work.
