I know what works in MY garden, is what I know. Sometimes.
Every once in a while, I take a chance and throw something new into the mix to see how it works - kind of like coming across a little fuzzy baby bird, and not knowing what kind it is and then tossing it up in the air to see if it's a flying sort versus a waddling sort. And while I'm a little more careful when it comes to parenting, really, there's a lot of that in raising a child too.
Some plants I look at and long for, and leave. Some follow me home.
I found this on Tuesday, and I am enchanted by its name, form and its promise: Sea Lavender!
We'll see what it does. It is beautiful singly, but can it hold its own in the larger world of my garden? Only time will tell.
I was tempted by the Nasturtiums, and decided to try them, because Josephine has a penchant for eating the pansies. I like for her to have a little variety in her diet.
Ummm...I don't know what this is or what it likes. Anyone? Anyone? It had no tag, but I found it attractive. For $2 I thought I'd take a chance on it. Flowers are like chocolates - even when they're bad, they're still pretty good. $2 could either be an amazing deal for something that will bring much pleasure and I'll always regret not buying more; or it'll be $2 for something that was good while it lasted, but I don't need to ever buy it again. See? Like chocolates. If it doesn't work for me, it still might work for others and I can enjoy it in their gardens.
And the Snowball Hydrangeas are out, and they are spectacular. Blossoms the size of a toddler's head, and they make the prettiest punching bags.
Gardening! It is like my life! A mysterious, beautiful box of varied chocolate punching bags!
(Toddlers are mysterious, attractive, wonderful creatures that I learn about as Josephine grows. I'm glad I have a child. This parenting thing? It has been, and is, and will be mysterious and wonderful and mostly it is going about as well as my flower garden. As a few more friends have second babies, I am happy for them and enjoy the chance to sniff some baby head again - but after yesterday's tantrums and much reflection lately, I am now very very sure that I do not want to have another child. I was pretty sure before, but now I am certain. I held a friend's newborn the other day, and did not want one. Palpable relief.)
(Oh! And that last metaphor? It's not that toddlers make good punching bags - they don't. Ever. Not that I've tried. It's just that I don't make a good punching bag in the hands of a toddler.)
