Temptation in the Garden


Sometimes it can be hard to distinguish between love and lust. There you are, in a crowded room, gazing about, taking in all the color and fragrance and excitement of the day when suddenly you look across the room. It's as though you've been struck by cupid's arrow. Love at first sight. Or is it?

Maybe you've been deceived by appearances. That gorgeous clinging vine, surrounded by a buzzing hive of admirers may be a thug in disguise, or so completely promiscuous that she can play havoc with all your carefully ordered plans. That sturdy looking guy in the corner may turn out to be too tender and demanding. And that tiny little thing in the corner just may have designs on your garden designs.

So how do you know if they will be right for your garden?

In a reputable nursery it may be easy - just ask someone who is well acquainted with that trumpet vine or canna and they can debate the pros and cons with you. But in winter we rarely have the luxury of an advisor standing at our sides. Instead we must rely on the colorful prose and photography of the mail order catalogs. All too often there we fall prey to temptation and lust after plants that will do nothing but break our hearts. Seductive looking blue flowers that turn out to be washed out lavender in real life. Blooms that look showy and colorful - until yours starts to bloom and you find the flowers are less than a quarter inch in diameter. Or, most disappointing of all, stalwart plants that you know are good looking and hardy in your yard - except that the ones you order go into the ground and are never seen again.

So what's a person to do?

Face it - all gardeners fall victim to plant lust. And the temptations dangled in front of us in those colorful mail order catalogs can bring on a bad case of that lust. Make yourself aware of all the pitfalls of mail order gardening and you have a better chance of choosing wisely. You can get some wonderful plants and even some great bargains - but you must be strong and not give in to temptation too quickly. Let's look at some of the factors that will affect the relationship you're likely to have with that plant you just know you have to have.

Consider the Source

The copyright of the article Temptation in the Garden in Virtual Gardening is owned by Carol Wallace. Permission to republish Temptation in the Garden in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Go To Page: 1 2 3 4 5

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic