The garden changes each day, each year. Shrubs grow larger, flowers fade, new growth begins. The seasons come and go bringing warmth for growth or cold for dormancy. Colors dance in bold pastels or huddle in earthy browns.
Rustling leaves play a tender tune in summer with supple hands softly caressing one another in the breezes and play a more rhythmic sound in the cold like brushes on a drum with stiff and dry leaves scraping and rubbing in the wind. The sweetness of blooming blossoms brings a heavenly scent in warmer seasons contrasted with pungent earthy odors in winter. It is an ever-changing landscape, a mercurial world.
I can only guess what my garden wants for this new year--good soil and compost, enough moisture, tender care. Those are not really huge requests. Most of that will come from nature herself. However, I hope to add to it, ensuring there is the best possible environment in which to flourish. What do I want for my garden? Dare I wish anything for my garden? I do not really wish for much.
I wish for...
- milder temperatures that do not reach the extreme.
- enough moisture to keep us from drought.
- overall garden health with no fungal or disease attacks.
- robust health and flourishing fields of growth.
- time to tend it and mend it and savor it.
What are your garden wishes for 2013?
Note: There has been a wonderful response to my 2013 calendar, and I am so happy so many like it. Don't forget to order yours: In the Garden 2013 Calendar.
Use the discount code: JANCALENDARS13 to get 25% off until January 31, 2013.
© copyright 2013 Michelle A. Potter
We just purchased the 2 acre lot next door to expand our garden. I am hoping to find lots of native plants there. Like you I am hopeful for enough rain to keep the plants and wildlife thriving. Happy New Year Michelle!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds wonderful to have more room for gardening, Karin. I look forward to reading more about that. It will definitely be a good year for you.
DeleteEvery time I try to leave a comment, it vanishes before I can finish!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds frustrating. I hope it does not continue. I got your email...thanks, Tammy.
DeleteMy wishes are very much like your own; especially the part about extreme temperatures and drought. We've had enough of those to last a lifetime.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Cat. And I hope 2013 is much better for you and your garden. It would be nice not to have to worry and struggle...at least for one year. :)
DeleteWhat I wouldn't do for a season of 'normal' temperatures. Honestly, I think I've forgotten what normal is! I see you went with Lulu for your calendar too. We've been very happy with them over the years, and the calendar quality is superb! Wishing you a very Happy New Year, Michelle!
ReplyDeleteMe, too, Clare. I am hoping for some easy seasons this year. Your calendar is so pretty especially with those photos of the goats. Have a very happy new year!
DeleteI sent you an email! :o)
ReplyDeleteGot it! :)
DeleteWonderful photos (and wishes) Michelle. I love the bluebird in your first shot, looking out into the new year with you :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rosemary, and best wishes for a good 2013 to you. I like that bluebird shot, too. :)
DeleteI agree with you and Claire. We need the old normal weather, not this new normal. Soon it will be hard to imagine what the weather was like before. At least you are having ice and snow. We are having snow, which was absent last year. I certainly will take and appreciate anything nature provides, but I am wishing for typically seasonal.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad that there is a new weather pattern forming that is so unpredictable and destructive. We did not have but a few dustings. I am hoping for at least a few inches of cover at some point this winter. We may get some this evening...would be nice.
DeleteSo poetic, Michelle! I hope your garden wishes come true. Yes, you and your garden aren't asking for much. Just the simple wish for gardening success. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Beth. I am hoping for an easy season. :)
DeleteHappy new year to you and your garden Michelle! Beautiful images and thoughts. I wish for my garden this year a gardener who will do some editing instead of simply cramming more plants into the miniscule space.
ReplyDeleteHappy new year! I am always adding and there will come a time when there is no space. I don't look forward to that day. :)
DeleteI'm glad you continue posting and I love the photo of red dry leaves covered in snow and icy water. Happy New Year to you, Michelle and your garden!
ReplyDeleteHappy new year, Nadezda. I am still here...just took a break.
DeleteGreat pictures - as always! My wishes are quite same as yours, I think. I especially wish, it'd rain less than last summer here in Finland. Happy New Year, Michelle!
ReplyDeleteI heard you got a lot of rain last year. I wish the same for you. Many times we have very dry summers, so I just hope we get a little rain. Happy new year!
DeleteYou have such a poetic and yet pragmatic way of writing about the garden. I hope you get your wishes met, particularly on temperature and rainfall. For myself, I hope for less rain than last year to give me more gardening days, beyond that, time and health to enjoy getting to know my new garden and what plants thrive in it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Janet. You did get a lot of rain last year--too much. Wouldn't it be nice if we had more balance this year?
DeleteA beautiful post, Michelle. A belated Happy New Year--may all your wishes for the garden come true this year!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rose. Happy new year to you, too. And I hope all of your garden wishes come true.
DeleteYour icy and snowy images are gorgeous, so are your poetic words. My gardenwishes for 2013 are almost the same like yours, no extremities, no fungal or disease attacks and please not to much rain for us, the soil is soakingly wet, we like to have some more sun in summer, than the garden will be great!
ReplyDeleteWish you also a very healthy, happy and good gardening year!
I hope you get all of that this year. We have had that soaking, drenching rain and it is not pleasant. Happy new year!
DeleteAmen! My wishes are also much like yours, first and foremost adequate rainfall! Also, PLEASE no aster yellows this year. In general, I'd like to have some normal weather, or at least what was considered normal until recently. Oh, and some new plants. A fringe tree, a sargent crab, maybe some caryopteris.
ReplyDeleteI like your wishes for the new year. And I have a long list of plants I want to add to the garden. Fringe trees are gorgeous!
DeleteWe, as gardeners don't really ask for much, here in the UK I think we would all ask for a bit less rain than last year when it seemed to be never ending! Good health would be nice to be able to do all the jobs that need doing to make the garden a better place. I hope all your wishes come true.
ReplyDeleteGood wishes, Pauline. Good health is so important to be able to do all we want to do especially in the garden.
DeleteHi, Nice to see you back posting - I have missed your lovely garden pictures and wish you all the best for the coming year.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much, Elaine. And I wish the same for you.
DeleteWhat wonderful photographs. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tim. I appreciate it.
DeleteLove the ice and snow photos. Not too much of that here.
ReplyDeleteThank you. We have had some ice but not much snow. I am looking forward to some snow.
DeleteLovely Michelle. I wish for spring so I can see my garden grow....but it needs its time of rest so I will wish for a nice seasonable conditions for the garden. Not very clever but just simple.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Donna. Your wishes are what we all wish for, and you said it perfectly. I long for spring as well, but I am enjoying the rest.
DeleteBiutiful Blue Bird! happy weekend ! t. pepita findand
ReplyDeleteThank you, pepita. I love bluebirds, too.
DeleteI have so many garden wishes for the coming year, but then my garden is so new and there are so many changes that have happened recently and will continue happen. Mostly I wish for the time to be able to tend it. Welcome back from your break, hope you had a wonderful holiday.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Marguerite. My garden is still relatively new, but I am finally getting to the point where much of the creation is complete. We still have some things to do but not as much as before. Have a very happy new year, and I hope you have lots of time to tend your garden!
DeleteI enjoyed your lovely post. The bluebird is just beautiful! My biggest wish for my garden for 2013 is moderate heat and plenty of rain. We were lucky to get plenty of rain last year, and the daylilies bloomed like never before. All the best! :-)
ReplyDeletePerfect wishes for the new year, Beth. I hope they all come true. Happy new year!
DeleteI dare not wish to much, but I, like you, wish that it might be spared drought this year. Christina
ReplyDeleteI agree, Christina. The drought is always so stressful. I do wish that would pass us this year.
DeleteAlrighty girlfriend -- your BEAUTIFUL blog is loaded in for the party! See you then!
ReplyDeleteVicki
Great! Thank you, Vicki. I am looking forward to it.
DeleteHappy New Year, Michelle. I love your winter photos, but especially the bluebird in mist. -Jean
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jean. Happy new year to you!
DeleteŻyczę, żeby w Twoim ogrodzie było wszystko jak chcesz. Ja u siebie boję się silnych mrozów, bo ogród może ucierpieć. Pozdrawiam.
ReplyDeleteI hope that in your garden was everything you want. I'm at home I'm afraid frosts, because the garden can suffer. Yours.
Thank you, Giga. And I hope the same for you. Stay warm!
DeleteLovely images, the bluebird is pretty and always a great bird to see. My wishes are very similar to yours. I wish winter would slide by quickly and be over. And I hope we do not have any bad ice storms, the damage can be horrible for our bushes and trees. Happy New year and I wish you all the best with your garden!
ReplyDeleteSome very important wishes for your garden, Eileen. Those ice storms can wreak havoc on the garden. We had a couple last year, and they were quite scary. Hope all of your wishes come true!
DeleteYou made a great list! I would love to have the same things, too! And a little bit of money specifically for the garden!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Holley. All the best wishes for you and your garden this year.
DeleteI hope for ample time to not only work my gardens to a satisfactory condition, but to have time to enjoy them. I hope all your garden wishes come to fruition.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get lots of time for all your wishes in the garden, Joene. I hope for that, too.
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