This is a garden area I'm working on to dedicate to pen-friends in prison that I write to.
What area looked like before.
Next step to dedicated garden area. Garden's name is "Rays of Hope". I also wrote a theme poem to go along with the garden.
Laying the plastic down to kill off the weeds. Should have used black plastic with cardboard or newspaper laid out underneath to kill weeds off better.
Next steps of to prepare soil for "Rays of Hope" garden. Sorry, I don't have a photo doing this.
Remove plastic, dig up soil and rake grass, weeds, etc. out. Add top soil, potting soil and re-use dirt you dug up. Then rake all smooth.
Planted acorn squash and mixed up all kind of vegetable seeds with soil and spread them out in this area and will be doing the same thing in the area next to it.
Side view of top section of "Rays of Hope" garden. Planted blackberry vine, cranberry hibiscus and also mixed all kinds of flower seeds with soil and spread out in both sections after plants were planted. On inside rows along board by walkway, I planted a row of strawberry and blue Indian Corn. The outside by driveway, I planted a row of Sunflowers to make a Natural Border to resemble a fence.
After plants and seeds were planted. I still need to get some round log sections for walkways and fill in with more soil. After that I'll surround the sections with white landscaping rocks. Once the plants start to grow larger I'll lay down two colors of mulch bark (red and gold).
At the top side sections by the driveway will be the entrance with a small trellis type archway that I will plant climbing roses on the outside of the archway and hang a plant from above. Then I'll make the name of the garden on a wooden plaque that I'll have nailed to a wooden stake off to the side of the archway. I will also make another wooden plaque sign with the theme poem "Ray of Hope" attached to it. I'll also have markers for each person I write with information and a photo attached to it.
By Sunflower from Sioux Falls, SD
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What a wonderful thought! So many of us forget those in prison. Sometimes we just need someone to show that they care to turn someone's life around. Not everyone in prison are "bad people" Many are those who just made bad choices. Bless you for reaching out to those who espesially need kindness.
Lots of good work. Word to the wise: Don't plant a berry vine! I inherited a couple and found on the garden sites that they grow gigantic and are VERY hard to get rid of once established. They make underground runners! I have only one that I've wrapped all around a large tomato cage which lives
but has not produced a thing. I hate to toss edibles,
but I also hate the thought of how it can ruin my remaining garden in one or two seasons! You have a dear heart. I LOVE the shape of the walk in your garden!! God bless you.
LeAnn reading article you wrote, you are showing love and kindness.
If others want to reach out and write....how do you do this? how do you get the address's''s
how about a garden for the victims, I plan on doing one for the people that are always forgotten due to a murder etc. Prisoners are there for a reason, at least they get to see the sunshine, grass, etc. boo-hoo
Hi LeAnn, I now have my own Prison Ministry called "Sunshine & Smiles". So if you would like you could go through my organization and I can get you some people to write to. I don't use the internet I have my own P.O. Box, so if your interested let me know and I can get you some people to write to you.
I, too, have started gardening with a purpose in mind. When my brother died two years ago, he was cremated according to his wishes. He had a saying on his desk, "Before speaking ask yourself, Is it True, Is it Kind, Is it Necessary. I found a wooden sign that said, "Plant kindness". I put it in my garden and my granddaughter calls that section Larry's garden. I found flower seeds of Morning Glories and planted them. We sold flowers seeds as kids. Whenever a butterfly comes, it makes me smile. The garden helped lift my depression.
We've had so much rain, it hasn't really started blooming yet.
To the person who wanted to plant a garden to the victims, I say, that's a wonderful idea. One that I would like to implement in my city, where the murder rate is so high. A peace garden. Can we find a way to share seeds, bulbs, and plants with each other? In doing so we will be sharing love, hope and healing.
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