A Dandelion Perspective

What do YOU see?

Last weekend I received another lesson on Perspective. It's one of those skills that really needs to be presented to us over and over again so that we don't forget how to use it. Luckily, I have a 5 year old who keeps my Perspective skills up to her standards.

We're in a drought here, so we haven't really paid much attention to the back lawn lately (truth be told, I'd love to rip OUT the lawn and put in raised vegetable beds, or a lovely patio area, but that's a subject for another conversation). Instead of a well-trimmed lawn, the dandelions have taken over. Now most of us would be embarrassed at letting our lawn "go to weeds," but apparently having several dozen dandelions scattered around is actually cause for great joy and excitement! The Princess was in the back yard with her two little friends when I heard an exclamation! "Look!.....dandelions!.....everywhere!" I watched as three little girls ran joyfully around the backyard...picking dandelions and blowing them (which, no doubt, will lead to even MORE dandelions). I stood and watched their delightful discovery play out. It made me think: Life is all about perspective - how you choose to look at a weed. It can either bring you a sense of embarrassment and exasperation or it can lift your spirits and bring you pure joy and delight.

Luckily, the dandelions in our backyard are "joy and delight" dandelions.....not plain 'ol weeds, as I had previously thought. Who knew? The Princess knew....and she, once again, patiently taught me - It's all in how you choose to look at things. This weekend I've decided to "throw in the trowel" and leave the weeds to sit a bit longer. Instead, I think I'll give blowing dandelions a try - I'm sure THAT skill needs a little sharpening, too.

-S.

Gardening in an "Endless Summer"

It's been challenging to know what to put in the garden this year. The weatherman keeps promising "El Nino" weather and that we'll have lot's of rain, but so far it's just been an Endless Summer....and we're in February! Luckily, I decided a while back to start planting drought-tolerant landscape plants. If you're unsure of what to plant, I always recommend looking around at what's planted along the side of the road or highway. If it's surviving there (with all of that carbon-monoxide exhaust blowing at it every day) than it's definitely something that might have a fighting chance in the garden. One of my favorite plants is Plumbago auriculata. Aside from the fact that it's one of my favorite colors (Blue), it's very versatile. You can let it grow in to it's usual wispy bush, you can hedge it (it's particularly great at disguising chain-link fences, which is what I'm doing with it) or you can even keep it trimmed close to the ground for a low ground cover. It's drought tolerant and tough as nails. This weekend I'll be heading off to my local nursery to find some more "Endless Summer tolerant" plants to add to the Sandcastle Cottage garden. I'd love to hear what the weather's like in YOUR garden? What are you planting?