And Harden Your Hearts.
Yes, I am talking about a flower: Violets. Johnny Jump-Ups. Small pansies. Whatever.
Do not be deterred. Do not be swayed by their innocent demeanor. These plants will ruin your garden.
Oh yes, they will charm you in the process, but be charmed and you have already lost the battle.
Trust me. This much, I know.
Here’s how it happens:
1) You walk into your garden on an early spring afternoon, shortly after the snow has melted and notice a single purple flower in a corner of a bed. It is breath-taking. Its tenacity stunning.
2) Each day that you are in your stark spring garden, poking around and getting the sterile gray dirt ready, or spreading the brown compost, you smile at the purple flower. It gives you hope. It is a look into the future of your garden. It makes you happy.
3) Weeks later, it is still blooming. It is sort of in the way as you plant seeds, but you have come to love this flower. Pulling it out would be wrong. It would feel like ripping your own heart out. So, you plant around it.
4) You eventually forget about your purple flower. It gets taken over by the lettuce, or the swiss chard or the beans. It disappears.
5) Or does it?
6) Fast forward 10 months. It is another first of many strolls through the garden on a warm-ish March morning: a purple flower! Where did it come from? So pretty!
7) They are more! Oh so fun! In the paths, in the dirt, in the grass!
8 ) Wait a minute… They. Are. Everywhere.
9) And you realize that something must be done. You need to take them out.
10) They are so pretty, so you dig them out and give them as gifts for birthdays of friends…
11) For your coffee table…
12) For your screen porch…
13) And maybe…. maybe…. you can leave just one to make you smile in the garden…
