Week of May 3, 2020

The social isolation policies for the COVID-19 pandemic now have sequestered everyone in their homes for the last 4-5 weeks.  It is easy to count the things we lost, but more amusing to consider the things we found.  With the fitness clubs closed, we have sought new venues for exercise.  One creative venue has been a 20-45 minute walk after dinner every evening around sunset.  This has allowed us to meet our neighbors on a regular basis and to view the other beautiful gardens and trees which make our Richmond neighborhood such a nice place to live.  One observation is clear, with everyone home and the garden centers outside the city still open, the gardens of Richmond have never looked so good.  The trees and shrubs are pruned, the lawns manicured, and new plantings are everywhere. Our Florida garden is no exception.  New faces in the garden include a new agave from the Farmer’s Market, a bed of new lantanas under the Pindo palm, a bed of Tropical Milkweed to feed the Monarch caterpillars, and a shrimp plant.  Everything is planted, pruned, and fertilized to take advantage of the cool nights and warm days of the Florida spring.  The garden provides the best escape from worrying about pandemics, recession, and our families’ health.