Xylem & Phloem

(This entry was written on January 6) 

Just the other day, I was emphatically expressing my disdain for gambling. I'm not against gambling, and I have been known to toss a quarter or two into a slot machine or join the boys for a friendly game of late-night poker, I'm just not very keen on losing money on an unlucky hand. But after today's garden adventure, I just might be eating my words.

While checking out at Nicholson-Hardie today after a serious plant buying binge, a silver-haired woman peered into my cart and remarked, "You think those will make it?", referring to the pots of anemones in full bloom. I replied, "I consider myself a rather adventurous gardener; I'm willing to try growing anything once! What's the worst that could happen? They live or they die. I have nothing to lose -- except maybe my money!"

It was at that moment that I caught myself and realized that, though I resist gambling with a deck of cards, I have no qualms about gambling with my garden! After all, buying plants from a nursery or garden center is ALWAYS a gamble. Six dollars for a fragrant lavender plant that could be compost foder tomorrow!

So, back to today's gardening binge... I'm not sure what sparked my sudden urge to get my hands dirty this morning, but I cashed in my birthday gift checks and drove straight over to Nicholson-Hardie, my local garden shop.  My only intention was to purchase seed starting supplies to get my tomato seeds to a strong start, but I ended up with a shopping cart overflowing with plants!!!

I must be crazy to plant annuals in the first week of January. And I might have made a royally bad decision to plant a shade-loving Foxtail Fern in my partly sunny front bed -- but that's the fun, isn't it? And that's the gamble that I'm willing to take! Take a peek at today's handiwork: