Memorial Day Preparations: Heidi Garden

Yesterday we planted flowers at the cemetery, my dad's house, and our house. Today we tackled the Heidi Remembrance Garden. Each spring we dedicate time and thought to "beat the weeds for the year" as we plan out the flowers, plants, and layout. Thus far, twenty-five plus years later, the weeds seem to keep winning.

We took a different approach this year. Instead of pulling weeds, adding new topsoil, planting new flowers or plants, then adding fresh mulch on the outside...we went rogue. I think my mom would have liked this new and bold approach. The hours we'd usually spend pulling weeds, we dug out the surviving plants. The only two that made it through last year's season of weeds and the winter: five rose bushes and the hosta plants. I moved these to my house, in to the one garden the moles seem to own and nothing survives. I figure if they could make it at the Heidi garden with minimal water and choking weeds, they may like it here.

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Once all the plants were removed, we placed two layers of the black landscaping/garden weed blocker over the entire garden. The slight breeze helped keep us cool but was our nemesis as we tried to keep the paper in place. We used the bags of white rocks to hold down the paper, started from the center and worked our way out. 

The centerpiece is of two kids reading book and also serves as a little bird bath after a rain. My Mom would love that. Mulch wasn't available so rather than wait, we returned to the store for red stone, the same color as the mulch we usually have. Initially we planned to cut the black paper off the wood frame but we liked the look of the black paper, makes the star pop a little more. We need  more stone, but it will have have to wait. We were pooped, tomorrow is another day. 

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After we add the last few bags of stones, I found solar stones online. They look white like the others but at night will be blue, like the centerpiece. I can't wait to add that final touch. Our family, and community, hold #Hope4HeidiAllen forever. 

The garden is a symbol of hope for so many. Now, at night, in addition to the lights at the points of the star, there will be light spread within the star. Even in the darkness, with hope and faith, The Light will always win. Our hope and prayer is the weeds lose this new battle and the brightness and light replace any darkness. May we always hope and look for the bright side.

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One thing is constant...Hope is Eternal!