Weed It & Reap: Pam Morris

Pam Morris in her Old South End garden.

Name: Pam Morris, living in the Old South End.

Garden specs: A compact front lawn on a busy street, a narrow strip along the side of the house, a very small back yard, and pots.

When did you start gardening?: Three years ago. I got tired of cutting grass and I'd been admiring other gardens. After I started, I just got addicted to it.

What do you grow?: Roses, azaleas, a pear and a plum tree, hostas, Asiatic and daylilies, sunflowers, rose of sharon, and other perennials.

What do you get out of it?: Sweat and tears. Also, relaxation, peace of mind, and pleasure: the satisfaction of seeing the end result.

I get all kinds of compliments from my neighbors, that's what makes me want to keep doing it.

Wouldn't it be nice if more people could get involved in gardening? Can you just see how a domino effect could result? Imagine how beautiful more and more neighborhoods would become if everyone could just get ideas from their neighbors.

I have a lot of plants to contribute to a few of my neighbors and friends. They were the ones [who] gave to my plant collection when I first began by sharing some of their plants. Sharing with others is really like passing it forward.

And I try to put my personality in it. I wanted kind of a forest setting so I put little animals around — bear and deer and moose, rams, a snail, squirrel, angels; it gives it that outdoor look. And battery-operated tulips that blink.

Hours spent gardening: Twenty to 25 hours weekly.

Annual cash outlay: $100 to $200.

Challenges: Two boxwood bushes were stolen the very first day I planted them. Also, being able to withstand back pain: I have degenerative discs. It helps to have a comfortable stool to sit on when gardening. I've learned not to overdo it, to get up, stretch, walk around. Gardening takes my mind off my pain.

I'm proud of: The end result: enhancing my neighborhood and hoping that other residents will also want to beautify their yards.

Most used tool: A stool.

Words to the wise: Do some gardening and enjoy the relaxation you will gain. Plant perennials: this will decrease a lot of work from having to constantly plant new ones. Talk to others who also garden and learn from them. And use the computer to obtain information.