Nestled among the green fields of rural Wisconsin is the village of New Holstein. On the edge of the village there is a nursery and garden center that attracts garden fanatics like bees to a honeycomb. Long before the last frost date they crowd the aisles looking for just the right plant to enhance their property. Its to be hoped that most of them will find ways to protect these hot house gems from frosts that are sure to occur well into late May. In fact we’ve been known to have frost as late as June.
I am one of the eager beavers who come early to these meccas of floral profusions and like my fellow early birds I more often than not end up covering everything with sheets. To the uninitiated upon seeing all these sheet covered plants, it might appear I’m decorating for a ghostly halloween display.
But once it warms up the garden bursts forth in a celebration of floral profusion that is quite breath taking.
The motto by which I approach life in general is based on the advice of an ancient Persian poet that encourages his readers to always buy hyacinths for the soul. I’m convinced that nourishing the soul with all the beauty to be accessed is at least as vital to our overall health as food for the body.
I’m equally convinced that you can never have to many flowers.
I’ve had this passionate attraction from my earliest memory and often had to be physically restraint by my Mother from dashing up to the alter reaching out for the bouquets that decorated the church on Sunday.
Vegetables I can afford to buy at the farmers market. But flowers I must surround myself with for the whole season from April to November. If one has an obsession this is a great one to have.