Let’s start out with a little math today:
365 (days in a year) – 21 (average # of days away from home each year) = 344
344 x 2.5 (average # of times I take the dog out each day) = 860
860 x 5 (average # of minutes spent outside with said dog) = 4300
4300/60 = 71.66 hours spent outside with the dog each year (and that only includes bathroom trips)
What is the point of this tedious mathematical equation? Glad you asked.
When properly rounded, that is 72 hours (or 3 days) spent each year just critiquing my front garden beds while walking the dog. As much as I love Casey, (a Labrador Retriever who will be 13 in July), I am in full-on garden evaluation mode while I am outdoors with her. This is true winter, spring, summer or fall. It’s joy and torture all rolled into one. Think of it as “paralysis by analysis”. Maybe I should have mixed it up and taken her to other parts of the yard, but the damage is already done.
Recently, on a cold and windy evening, as I stood outside with my dog, I was at it again. I was getting myself all worked up over a number of seemingly unimportant plant/gardening issues. This is supposed to be relaxing and fun, right? Not always for me.
As a means of therapy, and clearing my conscience and to also help others who are suffering from the same draining and painful affliction, I decided I would share my inner most thoughts with you all. It isn’t always pretty and it may sour your love of gardening, so consider yourself warned.
This is a ‘Mt Hood’ daffodil that is supposed to be all white after a brief yellow trumpet period. I don’t like them yellow at all so why don’t I just replace them with an “all white, all the time” option? Does that even exist?: 
This is the angle I typically view these same daffodils each day and night. If they are all going to lean forward and seek out the sun, what is the point?:
F’n daylillies! Their new spring foliage always looks so clean and vibrant yet I know I’ll hate them in early summer after they bloom. Yes, I can shear them at that time but who wants to do that at that time of year? Are they even worth it?:
Speaking of newly emerging foliage, this ‘Little Elf’ spirea looks good early in the season but you know that great yellow hue will be washed out as the temps get warmer and warmer. Again, is it all worth it? Especially in a prominent place near my front entrance?:
What bulbs did I even plant here? I have no memory of planting them this past fall. I’ve got nothing in front of them to hide their decaying foliage and we all know how important it is to let the foliage die out on its own. One year and then trash these, whatever the hell they are?:
Like a champ, I managed to kill off about ten Lamium plants last summer and this is the sole survivor. But what the hell do you do with one groundcover? Do I ditch it? Buy more to go with it? But I killed a bunch already. Maybe that was because they received too much sun? Or were planted to deep into the summer? Who thinks about a Lamium this much?:
I guess my blog name continues to represent my gardening philosophy.
I do have my relaxed moments and enjoy everything that plants throw my way.
Maybe I just need to bring a book outside with me when I walk the dog?
Have a great weekend!
John
First, I will trade your one dog for any one of my three…one of which is 18 and wants to go out every morning from 5 AM til about 7 AM, rests and is ready to go out again about 10 AM. Then she starts back up about 9 PM….just saying.
Second, try Thalia, all white daffodil, very pretty, fragrant, two or three blooms per stem.
Mystery bulbs coming up is a sign… time to start a label program or at least a list! hahaha
Look like your mystery bulbs are daffodils 🙂
Ben Hee – A beautiful garden and exhibition flower of pure white with a haunting gray-green eye. Blooms are long lasting on the plant, and although a bit smaller than other varieties, almost all are of perfect form for showing. From John Lea of England, 1964. – probably the pick of the bunch.
http://www.daffodilsandmore.com/Images/tn_Ben%20Hee%20(2).jpg
Second choice – All White Flowers–Mid Season
Dainty Miss – Few who view this petite, round-faced, green-eyed beauty of glistening white fail to fall for her charms. The good looks and dwarf stature comes from Narcissus watieri, a member of the jonquil tribe (regrettably without the characteristic fragrance). An ideal candidate for the alpine/rock garden. A very pretty little thing from Grant Mitsch of Oregon, 1966.
Don’t blame the dog! 🙂
If you don’t like it, remove it.
Groundcovers are interesting. They either swamp the whole area or do not live up the the cover part of their name.
Two falls ago, I started editing my front landscape because I had too many little things tucked here and there that got lost in the area. Except for the bed the sidewalk goes right beside, I’m going for larger plants and masses of plants.
Good luck!
Why not walk the dog a little further and critique a neighbors garden?
I used to do the critique thing while smoking. I gave up smoking. But, I suppose you are attached to the dog-so I’ll agree with Danger Garden—go critique the neighbors garden!
😀
Oh yeah…I’m much the same. I curse the nights I wake up at 3 am…and end up moving plants around in my head. Once I start, I can’t possibly get back to sleep…curses!
I definitely think you should start critiquing the neighbor’s garden. Or wear blinkers like they put on horses.
Hi ONG,
I have both Mt. Hood and Ice Follies, Ice Follies being less expensive, starts with yellow center and then turns white. Ice Follies also multiplies better than Mt. Hood.
Thalia is pure white but is delicate and blooms later than the larger daffodils. Mine is blooming now as the larger ones finish up.
Eileen
Funnily enough I feel the same way about Daylillies. I still can’t get rid of them though, that lush spring growth is so wonderful.
Paul
This is absolutely normal! I walk all my gardens every Saturday morning, I refill my coffee cup 3 times! I have some areas I have removed EVERYTHING, and replanted with new 5 times! One of said areas I’m ready to do the same once again this spring. I’m learning I’m always happy with larger numbers 10-20 plant in mass.
I know if I look less often- I will transplant less often.
But hey, I as well strive for as near perfection I can get.
Annie from Annie’s Annuals spoke in Portland recently and she said we tend to look at our own gardens and only see the work that needs to be done, instead of enjoying what’s already complete. She didn’t have any solutions but I think Loree has the right idea. 🙂
John..I think the mystery bulbs just might be Allium..do you remember planting any of those…even two years ago…as they seem to travel underground into new areas..at least mine have…not too far away, but they DO travel
Lilyfan
Oh dear, yes, “paralysis by analysis”!