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Plymouth Gardener Looks Forward to Warmer Temperatures, Blooming Flowers

Justina McNamara has been making her garden bigger and better each year since she moved into her Plymouth Township home in 1979.

According to the calendar, spring has been here since March 20, but the temperatures so far leave much to be desired for local gardeners.

Justina McNamara, a Plymouth Township resident and member of the Plymouth Garden Club, can't wait for a few warm days in a row to get outside and grow her garden.

"As soon as the weather gets nice, I'll be out there getting things ready," said McNamara, who has lived in her home on Spicer Drive since 1979. "Last week, when we had a nice day, I was out clearing branches. It's a lot of work, but I love it. I spend most of my time in the spring and summer in my garden."

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McNamara, who grew up in Mexico City, says she has been drawn to flowers since she was a child and always had some form of a garden in her yard. It wasn't until 2005, however, that she really got serious.

"When I was younger and working, I didn't have a lot of time for a big garden," said McNamara, who has two children and five grandchildren.

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Once she decided on an expansion plan, she had a contractor come to help form her dreams into a reality. The end result is a wide flower bed, softly curving around the edges of her yard.

"It looks the best in June," McNamara said. "There are seven different colors, and it just looks beautiful."

McNamara said her most important tip for a great-looking garden is to pay attention to your plants.

"I talk to them, and they know that they're loved," McNamara said.

She said her plants hold a special place in her heart because most of them were given to her by friends and relatives.

"The plants I got from people who have passed away are especially dear to me," McNamara said. "I look at them, and they remind me of those people."


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