Garden of Weedin'

At a recent trip to one of my favorite nurseries I spotted one of those decorative plaster stepping stones that really spoke to me: “Garden of Weedin’.”  Yep, that pretty much sums up not one, but several of my backyard flower beds and my feeble attempts to return them to their pristine states.  

Experts say the torrential rains of spring followed by our unusually hot summer have created an ideal climate for some spectacular specimens. Weeds that is. Not flowers. All of my flowers are either flopping, fading or fighting a bad case of powdery mildew.  And I’m ashamed to admit this, but yes, some are suffering from my neglect. I’ve been a bad “plant mom” this summer. It’s tough for my flowers to compete with barbecues, Crocker Park, movies, art fairs and Lake Erie sunset cruises. I still love them, but the truth is, I’m losing patience with their sulking. I want them to be more self-sufficient. After all, I didn’t raise them to be wimps.

They could take a lesson from the playbook of my weeds. Some, quite frankly, are jaw-dropping in their size and vigor. I’m tempted to throw in the towel (or perhaps I should say “trowel”) and just let them have their way and grow in lush, uninhibited splendor. Their resilience and determination should inspire my admiration, not my resentment.

I think what I really need is an attitude adjustment. After all, we are all God’s creations, right?  Why should I believe flowers are good and weeds are bad?  Can’t we all just get along?  Hmmm, it’s an interesting concept. It’s me and not them.  Live and let live. Que sera, sera. I think I’ll just kick back in the chaise lounge with a cold one and give that a little more thought.