Visions of sugar plums may still be dancing around in someone’s head, but not mine. I am already on the lookout for the next season, just like many intrepid gardeners. Our weather has been unseasonably mild, until next week when we supposedly may see a cold snap again. But right now I am gearing up for new beds, new plants and new dreams.
Dream big, they said.
And I do.
I am dreaming of seed catalogs and garden plans, new beds that magically build themselves and plants that thrive despite my forgetfulness. I dream of a new year where weeds behave, cleanup happens on time and every seed sprouts exactly as promised on the packet.
Reality may be muddy boots and stubborn weeds, but dreaming is free — and so is planning next season’s garden for the hundredth time. Before we even take up our trowels and gloves, now is the time for those with a green thumb to envision what they want out of the next year’s crop. Of course, reality may force us to scale back if time doesn’t allow, but that’s OK. We can always dream.
Curled up inside while the garden sleeps, I flip through pages full of promise: tomatoes bigger than my optimism, flowers that definitely won’t need staking (they will) and brand-new beds that exist only in my imagination — that is, for now.
Outside, weeds lurk and cleanup awaits our idle hands, a necessary evil gardeners must face to achieve those hopeful plans. Yet, inside it’s all fresh starts to fuel our excitement. After all, nothing says “New Year, new me” like believing this batch of seeds will change everything.
I also dream that I will stay on top of my weeding, a resolution every gardener makes at the start of a new growing season. “If I only weed 10 minutes a day, I can stay on top of this.”
Yeah, right.
Like most gardeners, I start off strong with high hopes of creating the most envious garden beds around town. Then, it’s 100 degrees Fahrenheit and there’s 100 percent humidity, and I lose all steam. Does that happen to you?
For the next eight weeks or so, I will dream. And then, I will be ready to face reality and head outside for another season and all its challenges and winning moments alike. For now, you can dream with me.
Have a happy new year!
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