Once the gardens are planted, the avid gardener waits impatiently for the flower patches to double in size, and the vegetable plants to become laden with luscious fruit.  But there are dangers that must be dealt with.  One worry is what kind of weather will Mother Nature send this season.  Will we be blessed with abundant sunshine, but without the scorching temperatures?  Will there be enough rain, falling ever so gently?  Whatever Mother Nature sends our way, we will be able to cope.   But there's one enemy that the ever watchful gardener has little chance to overcome  -  the varmints that prey on gardens everywhere!

They lurk in the shadows and pounce on the crop as soon as it comes in.  These varmints come in all shapes and sizes, including deer, oppossum, racoons, rabbits  -  even the diminutive chipmunks!  These cute, adorable creatures specialize in raiding the cherry tomatoes, escaping with their booty in their tiny mouths.  But the worst of them all, the king of the predators is the voracious, fearless groundhog!  

What gardener hasn't kept watch to determine what animal has been gobbling up the fruit of his/her labor?  Hoping upon hope that it won't be the always hungry destructive groundhog, who'll devour everything in its path!  We'd much rather have rabbits, because they only nibble here and there.  And they're so much cuter that groundhogs.

Farmer McGregor was justified in chasing Peter Rabbit out of his garden.  But what would he have done to rid himself of a groundhog?

When it's time to prepare the soil, some gardeners hire a handyman to rototill their soil.  Other gardeners venture out in the great outdoors, roll up their sleeves, fire up the rototiller, and get covered in dirt as they turn the soil themselves to make ready for their precious vegetable plants.  But the really fortunate ones are lucky enough to be married to a wonderful man who will do this dirty job, year after year without complaining - well almost!  I am happy to say that I am one of those fortunate gardeners!

And so, about 7-8 weeks after the baseball season commences, the gardening season begins in full force.

The fear of frost is no more.  Armies of gardeners have marched outdoors, weapons in hand, and have begun an attack on the ever present enemy - WEEDS!  Always vigilant, weeds never rest.  They spend the winter planning how they will take over the world.  And left unchecked, this is  exactly what would happen.  We've all seen those abandoned lots with the homeowner in retreat.   These pesky villains are the thorns in every gardeners side.  They can survive extreme drought, excessive rains, and they have the ability to grow with barely any soil at all!.  Diligent gardeners can never let their guard down.  They must keep watch and obliterate the enemy at every turn!

What flowers should I plant this year?  That is always the big question!  Should I go with the tried and true - those flowers that have proven themselves to be reliable ?  They're the ones that always smile up at you, whether the weather has been dry or rainy - no matter how many weeds are closing in, eager to choke them out.  Or...  should I experiment with some new varieties and live on the edge?  Those new varieties always look so beautiful in the catalogs.  They call to me saying, "You know you want me in your garden!" Oh, what am I to do?!!

After years of being disappointed with flowers that look exotic in the catalogs, but emaciated in my garden, I've decided in recent years to remain faithful to those varieties that I consider to be faithful to me.  So I purchase some marigolds, begonias, impatiens and the incredible vinca rosa!  This latter flower can thrive no matter how high the temperatures rise or how little water falls from the sky.  It never wavers.  It is a true champion!

But then I weaken and think that maybe I should try just one of those other flowers that I haven't planted before.  It certainly can't hurt!  What could be the harm?  Thus begins my downfall.  Once that "new" flower is immersed in the warm soil in my yard, it is soon followed by another, and then another, and then...

It's not that bad really.  Sometimes I discover a new variety or two that actually enjoys living on my "estate".  When I stand back and view the results if my hard labor in the great outdoors I can easily envision a breathtaking display of color - just like the catalogs!!  I'm an impossible optimist.  But maybe this will really be the year!!

Petunias

On Christmas Eve "visions of sugarplums" dance in my head, but when the snow melts away "gardens of beautiful flowers" captivate my thoughts!  It must be spring! Those gardening catalogs, filled with stunning pictures that lure me into believing, "Yes, my garden can be that breathtaking too," have been pouring into my mailbox for weeks.  I've getting the bug again.  It never fails.  I can't prevent it from happening.  Each year I exhort myself saying, "I just know it!  This will be the year!", that my gardens look as glorious as those in the catalogs.  And every year, despite the fact that the previous year may have ended in disaster, I believe it to be true - with all my heart.

I'm not quite at that point yet because spring is not really here.  The warm weather this March has just been a tease, an illusion.  The calendar says spring.  But we long time New Englanders know that these balmy days can just as easily (and cruelly) fade into cold, wet and windy days.  And what's worse is those dreary, depressing days can, in turn, drag into weeks!  April will come soon, but will it be warm and renewing as it should be?  Or will it usher in the March weather we escaped?  Only time will tell ...