Gardening, I’m fond of saying, is good for the soul. It puts
one in sync with the rhythms of the seasons, draws one’s eye to the intricate, awe-inspiring details of nature, leads us to
see beauty, and teaches patience. Admirable virtues, we
would surely agree.
But there is a dark side. Gardening can sometimes (often?) inspire greed. And jealousy.
For evidence, look no further than the front cover of this magazine, bedecked
with an image of a brand new echinacea sporting unique two-toned pink and
green petals. The first time I saw this photo, I immediately said, “I want one!”
And wouldn’t you know—the name of this little wonder is ‘Green Envy’.
There’s a lot of green envy going around this time of year, otherwise known as
shopping time. The garden centers are overflowing with plants and tools and all kinds
of nifty gardening aids. (Note to self: this is the year to pick up that ergonomically designed transplanting spade by Radius Tools. It has a bright lime green handle and
a stainless steel blade so beautifully shiny I can’t imagine actually using it—although
I suppose I’ll manage somehow.)
On the plant front, there are oodles of wonderfully enticing choices. The 2010 All America Rose Selections winner ‘Easy Does It’ is literally in a class by itself since the AARS judges found it so far superior to all of its competitors that they chose only one winner this year. Why so special? The flower—a mango-peach-apricot-pink
confection with ruffled petals—blooms pretty much non-stop throughout the
season, and it has strong disease resistance as well.
Then there are the hydrangeas. Everybody and his uncle is breeding them
nowadays and exciting choices abound. Personally, I can’t wait to get my hands on the first- ever pink version of the ‘Annabelle’ hydrangea that’s called Invincibelle® Spirit.
The second newbie hydrangea that has captured my heart is a biggie. Named Incrediball®, it boasts a round white flower so huge it might actually be too big for
some gardens. But that’s something I want to find out for myself. Both of these are
H. arborescens cultivars.
Then there’s the ‘Vanilla Strawberry’, a cultivar of the late-blooming H. paniculata whose conical flowers start out creamy white and evolve into luscious shades of
pink. I took one look at the photo in the press release I had received, and my heart quivered with joy—and lust.
Our good friend Roy Diblik, co-owner of Northwind Perennial Farm in Burlington, Wisconsin, preaches caution when it comes
to buying hot-off-the-presses new plants. “Wait a few years and see if they live up to the hype,” he advises. “Go shopping, by all means, but spend your money on plants that you know will work.”
Phooey. Where’s the fun in that?
I want all of these new plants I’ve mentioned, and I want them now! I cheerfully
acknowledge that I am greedy when it comes to plants, full-to-the-brim green with envy.
So instead of becoming more virtuous by gardening, it would seem that I’ve
actually been corrupted. And you know what? I don’t care.
