It turns out I was away on a trip, and that absence really took its toll on the garden. No one loves our plants more than we do; we know their needs and the care they require to keep them beautiful and healthy. The Vinca Rosea plants in my vase had dried out because the crotalaria plants had grown so much that they covered them almost completely—you couldn’t even see them. Without sunlight or water, well, you know what happened. On top of that, I have two pets, and I don’t know why one of them defecates on the plants or under them, as if hiding them. That caused it to climb on top of them, leaving them crushed and covered in dirt. To make matters worse, the dog destroyed the gravel path I’d made with small pebbles—the kind I used to fill in the path.

The garden was a mess and somewhat run-down; the person I’d left in charge hadn’t managed to keep it up. The first thing I did was pick up all the gravel—it was scattered all over the garden; it looks like Coqui, that’s my dog’s name, had been digging. It was a painstaking task, picking up all those tiny pebbles to refill the path. I also had to arrange the large stones and rebuild the path, placing each one in its proper spot; anyone would think Coqui had started throwing them around.

Then I tackled the hardest part: pulling up all the crotalaria, which looked like a small patch of weeds. To be honest, it was a bit of a struggle, and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to do it. I felt great when I finally managed it and was able to clear that area. Right in that corner, I placed some pots with flowering plants; it looked really pretty and tidy. Of course, I had to prune a few plants.