Garden catalogs

Compared to a bubble bath, a garden catalog in winter does as good a job stimulating circulation. A ninety minute massage isn't a bad thing either. Still and all, for a boost of happiness, a color page from a nicely designed catalog can be a tonic. There are no pheromones emanating from the page, at least I don't think there are. I wonder if a scratch and sniff approach might help sales for some things other than perfume? In any case we of the home gardening collective are positively enchanted by the appearance of the gardening catalogs that begin dribbling out in September and reach a rampaging flood stage in January. It isn't as if there are forty acres in my back yard that require filling. Most of my little space is already taken with an array of plants, placed by trial and error to maximize visual effect and survival. Oh yes, that is a huge element of gardening and one that beginners don't often realize. Those lushly populated designs are the result of many failures from which the gardener has taken lessons and adjusted accordingly. It is true that professional training is a workaround to this but many gardeners are of the do-it-yourself stripe and have not the nerve nor the time to take master gardener classes.

For those of us who dream of warm sunny days blessed with once weekly rain showers, the catalogs are enabling and I don't entirely mean that in a negative and psychologically dependent way. The failures of the last year's season are past, albeit trenchant, memories by now. Months ago we put away our mud-caked trowels and worn out gloves with the firm commitment to do better next time, and voilà here come the catalogs to help encourage us on our path of righteousness and fulfillment. And what ever happened to the good old spelling of catalogue? That was how I learned the word and why has it devolved to the stripped down form of today? And what about advisor versus adviser? I am just wondering aloud. These changes seem basic to the language and they are happening in the short span of my life. Let us not cling to the past without cause.

Back to catalogs, those previews of coming attractions soon to be in a yard or garden near you. There are some items that are always highlighted as newly developed variations which catch the eye instantly, especially if they are in categories where one has a longstanding interest. You can bet that the plant breeders have good reason to cultivate new varieties. It means big money these days. Echinacea is a group that has fairly exploded in fireworks colors, as have the shade-loving hellebores, known as the Lenten rose, in its own demure way. Dahlias and buddleias are also favorites which continue to offer summer colors of extraordinary brilliance. The old guard of roses and lilacs still please with new offerings, but the most astounding growth in selection probably lies with the hydrangeas. You really can get quite an education from the best listings that are not stingy on information. Just looking at all these idealized versions offers an optimistic hint of opportunity to sally forth again, after the winter debris has been raked away, and renew acquaintance with the rich sensory rewards of actual gardening. I'll be ready. Maybe a new outfit is in order!

Biggest Warm Hugs, Celeste