Created by Theresa Rooney, Hennepin County Master Gardener Volunteer
Sounds crazy doesn’t it? Finding something good when you have a problem in the garden?
Today I am considering the drought we had this summer. It is Autumn. I have not watered much at all this summer so I know that many of the perennials in my no-turf yard may not have survived. I have started to water the trees and shrubs.
Why would I be happy about this? First, I saved lots of money and time by not watering. Second, I am culling the froo-froo plants from the yard. You know, those prima donnas that take and don’t give back quite as much. Third, I will have room for different plants I want to try. Fourth, change is good.
As gardeners we know that change always is happening in the garden. Nature surprises us with adventures every day in the garden. Some are ‘good’ some are ‘bad’. But to my way of thinking (and I admit, sometimes I really need to force myself to think this way) all of the changes are good. Even the loss of a beloved plant, or the failure of a crop of peas present chances to learn and grow. We like to grow plants; we should like to grow our minds too.
So when your garden/yard presents you with a problem, think of it as an opportunity to learn and grow — after all, you expect the plants to grow — perhaps this is Nature’s way of helping you grow, too.
