Bert's BloomersThe Official Blog of the Ten Minute Garden!

Winter’s wrath is yet again pummeling us with a tantrum of snow, bitter cold and high winds. This is the second day in a row of Old Man Winter’s anger. How cruel this weather seems to the green fingered, as we are denied the ability to pursue our hobby of gardening. If we are to get through these long months of seeming desolation, we must find what positives we can in the winter season: The deep snow is insulating our precious gardens like a protective blanket. The roots of the plants populating our beds will be safe. If the snow ever does melt, we know it will add much needed moisture to the soil and assist the trees in recovering from the summer droughts of the past two years. The bitter cold is dealing with the insect population in the truest form of organic pest control. We should notice fewer insects glutting themselves on the smorgasbords our gardens can become. The endless task of shoveling snow keeps us fit for the gardening season.
During this time of house arrest that winter forces on us, we can dream and plan next season’s gardens. Our imaginations will carry us forward to spring, to summer, where the sun is shining, the days are warm and colour surrounds us.

We think of our gardens, what they looked like last year, what we hope they will look like this year. As we contemplate the changes we would like to make, we set aside monetary restrictions and plan as though the sky is the limit. In the warmer months, when gardening is reality instead of fantasy, we will be practical. The brave of us set these changes to paper as inspiration in the future, a goal to work towards. We may succeed in implementing our dreams, we may not. Perhaps we will work towards them as quickly as a hummingbird or as slowly as a snail. Either way, our time of fantasizing about our gardens is never wasted. At some point in the spring or summer, we will remember the plans formulated during a winter storm and become inspired anew.