Garden of Optimism

A gardener can look at a newly planted flower bed and visualize the future.

Right now, my redesigned garden area is drab and bleak.

Still in the early stages, and struggling through the winter, there are no blooms.

Signs of hope are springing up as green sprouts peek through the ground. Seeds sown in the fall are emerging with a new freshness. What doesn't look like much now, will hopefully flourish and my dream will be fulfilled.

Last fall, I decided to redesign this area of the garden that had become a real problem. There were overgrown shrubs that had become greedy and sapped the nutrients from the surrounding plants.

There were runners of crabgrass undermining the root systems of all the existing perennials. I had to dig up the runners and pull them out by hand. It was time-consuming and it was discouraging, but I persevered.

It was very painful to lose so many plants from this overhaul. Yet, it was necessary in order to grow a beautiful garden. When I was finished, I had a clean slate in this garden bed. I brought in new soil amendments to restore the nutrients. I added new plants. Some were expensive, but worth the outlay since this front garden area is so important to us. I also moved some of my good performing plants into this new garden.

Being a gardener, I have patience to wait for the bounty. I know it takes time to weed out the bad performers and grow better plants. In a few years, this garden will be abundant and overflowing with beautiful flowers, foliage and herbs. My efforts, patience and determination will be greatly rewarded. It will be a better garden.

I view the current economic crisis much like a garden. The bad performers must be weeded out to make room for the good. New ideas are being planted. These ideas need a lot of tending and enough time to mature in order to reap the rewards for a better economy.

May all individuals, throughout the world, become gardeners to help redesign and grow a stronger, more rewarding economy for the future.

Story and photo by Freda Cameron