Chapter 14
“ L isten up everyone,” Shelly said, clapping her hands to gain the attention of the teenagers.
Ivy stood to one side, watching her sister welcome her new team of high school students. Everyone carried gloves and wore work clothes of jeans and thick-soled gardening shoes, Shelly included.
Inside the house, Sunny and Poppy were serving breakfast to guests. Later, she and Shelly would meet with the young woman Rosie had referred about their irrigation needs.
“Here’s the plan.” Shelly tapped a whiteboard with a ruler.
She had drawn the plan on a whiteboard she’d propped against the garden shed behind the greenhouse.
Ivy was impressed with the color-coded zones and plants marked for removal.
Another board listed the planting layout and measurements.
It looked like a military operation, which, given the timeline, it needed to be.
The garden club students gathered around, their backpacks dumped in a pile near the rear kitchen door. They’d arrived in two carloads, changed into work clothes, and assembled on the patio in under ten minutes, ready to work.
Ivy was impressed. Rosie had trained them well.
Shelly held a marker like a conductor’s baton.
“Zone one is the front entry along the queen palm corridor. That’s the priority.
Zone two includes the flower border and the terrace pots.
Zone three is the side yard nearest the beach.
Zone four is the rear patio and the path toward the greenhouse.
There’s more, but this is where we start. We work in order.”
Thorn raised his hand. “What about zone five?”
“There is no zone five.”
“The greenhouse area isn’t on the plan?”
“That is a separate project,” she replied. “It’s off limits for now.”
Shelly continued, instructing them on where they would start, and dividing them into teams according to their expertise.
Briar traded looks with Fern, who was already sketching the zone layout in a pink notebook. Moss crouched near the closest garden bed and scooped a handful of soil, rubbing it between his fingers.
“This soil is compacted,” he said. “When was the last time this was amended?”
Shelly raised her eyebrows. “It’s been a while. And that’s one reason you’re here.”
“We should work in some compost before we plant anything new,” Moss said. “Otherwise the roots won’t establish, especially with the native species you’re using. They need drainage.”
Ivy watched Shelly process this. Her sister wasn’t used to being told something she already knew by a teenager. But Moss was right, and Shelly knew it.
“That’s the plan,” Shelly said. “We have a compost area at the rear of the property. I have a list of specific additions depending on the plants and the soil’s amendment needs. You and Vanz can start hauling it to where we need it. Tools are in the shed.”
Moss nodded and headed off. Vanz fell into step beside him, and Ivy noticed the easy way they worked together, already dividing the labor without being told.
Vanz had come a long way in just a few months of living in Summer Beach. He’d clearly gained confidence and made friends. Mitch had told them his grades were improving, too.
Ivy smiled to herself. It was the Summer Beach effect. Some embraced the lifestyle here, but others, like Clarence, left in a hurry.
And that was fine with everyone here.
“Now listen for the rest of the assignments,” Shelly said. “Briar and Fern, please mark the planting positions in zone one according to this layout. Thorn, you’re on demolition, pulling the remaining dead shrubs.”
Ivy was thrilled to give up that job to a muscled young man.
Shelly added, “Bud and Blossom, please help clear debris, then begin prepping the beds as time allows. Any questions yet?”
Thorn raised his hand. “Where can we find shovels?”
“Inside the tool shed. Ivy, will you show him? Remember, everything should be cleaned and returned at the end of the day. If you break something, tell me. Don’t hide it. Welcome aboard, everyone.”
“We know the drill,” Briar said. “Same rules as the Hidden Garden.”
Shelly looked at her, then nodded with a smile. “Good. Let’s get going.”
Ivy showed Thorn where the shovels and other tools were, while Shelly answered a couple of questions.
The students scattered, and within minutes, sounds of work spread across the property. Shovels hit soil, wheelbarrows bumped over gravel paths, and the kids called to each other for help.
Ivy stood on the patio and watched the transformation begin.
Poppy appeared beside her with her phone. “This is incredible content. Will they mind if I get some video?”
“Ask Briar,” Ivy said, pointing her out. “She mentioned an interest in cross-promotion.”
“Already on it,” Poppy said. “She texted me last night, and we planned a content calendar together.”
Ivy shook her head. “Now that’s initiative.”
“She’s better at social media than most of my freelance clients.” Poppy was already moving toward the front lawn.
Ivy turned to find Shelly standing at the edge of zone one with her arms crossed, watching Briar and Fern work in the bed Shelly had previously prepared. From the set of her shoulders, Ivy could tell she was fighting every instinct to step in.
“They’re doing fine,” Ivy said, joining her.
“Briar’s spacing is off on the bougainvillea.”
Ivy looked. The markers seemed evenly placed to her. “By how much?”
“Four inches.”
“Will four inches matter when the plant is mature?”
Shelly pressed her lips together. “Probably not. But that’s not what my plan says.”
“Shells, if you correct every measurement by four inches, they’ll stop trusting their own judgment.”
“I realize that.” Shelly’s voice was tight. “I’m trying.”
“Delegating is focusing on the right stuff at the right time. Correct them gently, without making a big deal of it. Frame it as a suggestion if it’s important and tell them why. This is also a learning opportunity for them.”
Shelly shifted and put her hands on her hips. “That means it’s a teaching opportunity for us. It’s harder to delegate and back off than I thought it would be. It’s tough to watch someone do the job differently than I would.”
“Welcome to management.”
Shelly made a face. “I’m allergic to management. I’d rather work out on my own. But I know I need help.”
Ivy squeezed her sister’s shoulder. “Think of it as teaching and have fun with these kids. They have skills, ask questions, and seem eager. Look how much they enjoy the work. Go tell them what a great job they’re doing and then subtly work in your suggestions.”
Shelly exhaled. “Here I go. Wish me luck.”
As Shelly walked toward the two girls, Ivy saw a white pickup truck pull to the curb and park. The magnetic sign on the door read, Garden Sprinkles, Irrigation Design & Installation.
Thank goodness , Ivy thought, eager to talk to her. Sage was like a rare bird she couldn’t let get away, a lifeline to finishing the project on time.
But in her rush to reach her, Ivy tripped and fell, due to a gaping hole she’d dug in her attempt to help Shelly a few days earlier.
Exasperated, Ivy stayed on the ground for a moment, hoping she hadn’t broken anything.