Thursday, December 17, 2009

Somebody Stop The Madness






Decisions, decisions.

Easy for you maybe but anyone who knows me
knows I run things over, under and around in
my mind, even in my dreams at night until a final
decision is made on anything.
Starting in the Spring when the first flowers are
being potted or sown I am already starting a list
for the fall planting or next winters seed list.







Every new posting of the blogs that shows a flower
that is so pretty and that will grown in my zone 5
garden is added onto the never ending list of prospects.
I say never ending because just when the list is just
being whittled down to size a new variety of echinacea,
phlox or hydrangea appears on the gardening world
scene.







To add to the clutter in my mind the gardening
catalogs started arriving earlier this fall.
They all naturally have the glaring words
"New For 2010", "Spring of 2010" on each issue.
On cold, rainy evenings (when the house is clean)
we look through every page folding the pages on the
corners and marking another potential new seed
or plant that would look wonderful in the garden.
We go through them over and over again adding
some to the now 'Monster List' of plants.

And then it happens. The day fast approaches
when we have to sort through the list and finally
decide what will be ordered for winter sowing.
We set and ponder in our minds the layout of the
garden beds. Which flower will go best with the
plants we already have? Will the colors clash?
How tall will the new ones added get and where
can they be placed in the beds? Does it need more
or less sun? Will it take some partial shade?
How much room does it need to grow well in?
When is its blooming period?






Do not forget the plants in the basement.....




and the ones over wintering in the house have to
be accounted for in the decision process.



Then do not forget all of the seeds blog friends and
seed swap friends have sent are to be included
into the seed or planting frenzy.
Decisions now have to be made, it is crunch and
countdown time.
Draw up a diagram of the beds and try to
pencil them in with the plants that are already there.
Do not forget the bulbs and roots that are planted
in the bed too. You don't want to dig into them.
Scratch that seed. Cannot find a suitable place for
that bright flower, so cross it off.
But, you moan and groan "I really love that one".

Somebody has got to stop the madness!!!!

So like all practical and knowing gardeners
the decisions, diagrams, and plans are ready and
your mind is finally made up.
It is really quite simple .......

you just make another new flowerbed.




Happy Gardening Everyone!


22 comments:

Unknown said...

Great post Lona. I have such a hard time with decisions. Give me a choice of 2 and I'm in trouble. Any more than that is mind boggling. And then like you I have to think and think and . . .
Where does it all end? ;-)

Darla said...

This is too funny!!

Helen said...

Whew! That made me tired just reading all that you do LOL. Helen

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

I love it! I was looking at a seed catalog last night thinking about where I have room for more plants. I like your decision, new flowerbeds!

Jim Groble said...

Well, I can't stop. My list has all plants i hope can grow in zone 5b or 6. pat and I are going to LA to visit our daughter and what did we get for the flight? Garden magizines. Sheila Peterson of "The Gardens of Petersonville" gave us a list of gardens to visit. So, I can"t stop. It's too much fun.

jim

Rebecca @ In The Garden said...

You're right, it is madness! I've managed to avoid seed catalogues for the time being, although I got into a situation with a bulb catalogue this fall. I like you comment about getting down to just a few plants on the must have list, and all of a sudden, dozens more appear. It truly is never ending! :)

Patsy said...

I thank you have a plan now, I know that makes you fill better.
Happy Gardener Blogger friend.
Patsy

My Mother's Garden said...

I loved reading this post and was tickled at the humorous ending! I actually laughed out loud, since I know exactly what you're talking about. Too bad my garden has no more room for new beds. I admire the thought and planning that you put into your gardens.
Happy Holidays and happy garden planning to you!

RURAL said...

I hear you. That time is coming around soon again. But it is a happy time...

Jen

Balisha said...

I wondered where this was going...I should have known.
Balisha

Joe Todd said...

I'm really impressed at how organized you are. Can you imagine the problems an unorganized person (me) has LOL

Ian said...

That's great Lona. Do you follow your plans through, or are you like me; a planner with a serious flaw? I have an impulsive side that makes nonsense of all my careful planning. It's good fun though!

Lona said...

RG: It is never ending, a bottomless List ;-)

Darla: Yeah, was having a silly day. I get them quite often ;-)


Helen: Why I was plum tuckered out when I got done writing it too ;-)

Catherine: Yahhh, you got it make a new flower bed ;-)

Jim: Have a wonderful time and we do expect loads of pictures.;-) Happy Holidays!

Rebecca: How do you do it? I have to clear out all of the work just so I can sit and go through the new seed catalogs ;-)

Patsy: It was such a load off of my mind ;-)

MMG: I plan but plans are made to be broken ;-)

Jen: With every catalog the old juices to plant get to flowing ;-)

Balshia: You know me well ;-)

Joe: LOL, I only put out the impression that I am organized. I end up with extras that always just get stuck in somewhere until I find a place ;-) That is why my rose bush was moved three times last summer. Killed it dead.

Ian: I have never made a plan that I ever keep true to ;-) I see a plant I like and bingo the plan goes to pot ;-)Happy Holidays!

Kylee Baumle said...

Lona, my dear, I feel your pain. For the past five years (all my gardening life), I've done the same thing. However, after being in the garden walk this year, I have come to realize that I have quite enough to take care of, no matter how much more I might want to tear up on this acre. As I said in a post a few months ago, I'm starting to morph into a smarter gardener by planting and cultivating those things that don't require so much work. I can still have a beautiful garden without spending so much time and money on new things. Does that mean I won't buy new plants for the garden?

Of course not!

Yeah, here we go again... See, I told you I felt your pain. *sigh*

Oh, and part of the problem lies right on the top of your stack of catalogs. Bluestone Perennials and their wonderful plants and percentages off. Anyone who has purchased plants from them knows that it's a lost cause to throw the catalog out to prevent temptation. I've started my list already...

Anonymous said...

I've saved my seed catalogs for the cold and dreary month of January. I can't wait! And don't be overly impressed by the flower photos posted on my blog today, they were taken on December 3rd. You'll have to wait and see what I have left at this point. That's a post for another day! But it's not much. Boohoo!

Unknown said...

I'm a great enabler/encourager of others when it comes to trying new plants, so if you need more encouragement...heck yes, go for it!

Martha said...

The seed catalogues are what make January and February bearable! And like you, in the winter my house overrunneth with plants! I always say to myself -- I will not . . . and then another plant draws me in and I bring it home!

Bernideen said...

Your plants in the basement - what a project! Your blog has great information and darling photos!

Autumn Belle said...

Lona, looking at the pictures, especially that of your workstation, I think you are a well-organised person. As for me, I usually plant according to my whims and fancies. When I planed, I have made some regretful decisions on some bigger plants like bamboo and palms that grew fast and used up a lot of space and difficult to remove later.

Heres wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Good morning Lona, it certainly can get overwhelming to see what everyone else has and yearn for the same. Enjoy the winter break and dream of gardens to come! Merry Christmas to you.

Barbara said...

I can relate! But it's part of the fun, after all. Even if I end up not planting all the seeds I've bought, I get my money's worth by going through them again and again and just imagining what they could look like.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I am so not good at planning, at least on paper. I am planning on moving lots of plants around to different spots, and giving some duplicates away to make room for some plants that I have in mind to get. I think I better write some things down.