The Maple Hill Hop 150

Welcome to 

The Maple Hill Hop.

This is a hop for folks who love the outdoors.

Feel free to post about anything that's going on

OUTSIDE

in your neck of the woods,
no matter the season.

(Please share only outdoor posts.)

*Grab the button above to link back to Maple Hill 101.*

Our house has been for sale (on and off) for 3 years.

We are all so ready to move further north

and are willing to do what we need to

in order to make that happen.

Although we aren't sure why we are still here

while neighbors have been able to sell their homes,

we trust that there is a reason.

We recently took our home off the market

because we needed a break and wanted to try a new approach. 

We've been working on a project for the last few weeks

to make our home more appealing

to a larger audience.

We are downsizing the garden.     

lemongrass

Although we haven't received negative comments from realtors showing our home,

we think that simplifying the yard will make it look bigger

and help buyers feel that it's easier to maintain.

star jasmine

Even though all of our plants are either natives or

Florida-friendly and therefore don't require much care,

the sheer number of plants may seem overwhelming

to someone who is not a gardener.

lantana

 So, for the month of September, every other weekend,

we are hosting a plant giveaway.

We have done this periodically over the last few years,

but we are working on redesigning the garden

which requires less plants overall.

flax lily

It just doesn't sit right with me to toss healthy plants,

so the giveaway is the perfect solution.

Greenthumbs get something new for their garden,

and we get a clean slate to start over with our simplified design.

The beneficiaries do the digging, hauling and loading,

and we get the empty space we are looking for. 

Everyone wins.

passionflower vine

We advertised in our local Craig's List under "free"

and asked that those coming to partake bring canned food 

for our local Meals on Wheels program.

Another win.

It's been our experience that folks often bring more than expected.

Gardeners are known for being generous spirits.

African Iris

Our plants will get good homes and make someone happy

and we can remap our yard to appeal to buyers.

pineapple

So far, so good.

We've had several folks come by and take part in the event.

With one more Saturday to go,

we already have lots of new space.

Now that fall is closer to bringing cooler temperatures,

I may be able to get out there more

and tweak things a bit.

Let's HOP!

   

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