Gardening fools

A thought occurred to me recently, and being a frog it came as a surprise, anyway, it was one that showed me just how full of yourselves you human beings are. In this country, humans everywhere are competing with each other to create the finest garden examples known to exist. Unfortunately, humans believe that they are superior when it comes to creating what mother nature does the best. During summer in the evenings or at the weekends, the screaming sound of a thousand lawnmowers takes to the air all around us. Humans, bless their hearts, are once again cutting their precious garden lawns, a stripe this way, another that way, anything as long as it doesn't look like it's plain old grass or god forbid, untidy.

Once this chore is complete, don't forget the spirit level, I'm sure I saw a lump here and a bump there. Then and only then, the human will lazily wander around admiring his/her flowerbeds. Whoa betide the weed that dares to show itself in amongst the prize petunias or hybrid teas, lest the gardener be forced to hack at it with the hoe like some demented fool. How dare nature rear its ugly head in this paradise?

What about the new island bed, specially dug during the previous winter and now looking resplendent with the impressive, but rather showy hibiscus you planted a few years back? Isn't that next door's furball beneath its delicate blooms, digging up and scratting madly away at your prize sea of alliums, and lovingly sent by a favourite aunt? Croak!!!

And oh my, how wonderful your alpine rockery appears in the warm afternoon sunshine. Those thymes don't look so bad after all, do they? The whole lot blends in nicely against the new fern garden you planted a few years ago. Of course, the man at the garden centre omitted to explain to you that slugs simply adore the taste of your hostas, which is why you no longer have any. Ah well, never mind eh?

Isn't this the weekend you've chosen to open your precious plot to the public? Humans being what they are, will simply be dying to get their grubby little mitts on Mrs Popple, no! no! I'm talking about your amazing fuchsia, not the lady next door. Anyway, they'll be after your cuttings when they think you're not looking in their direction. Good grief, they'll take so many that you'll wonder if you had any plants in your garden at all, prior to their visit. It's so easy to forget that humans spend a great deal of their time with their eyes glued to the television, all carefully watching Gardener's World for tips on how to take and look after your precious cuttings, hopefully so that they won't wither and die before they manage to get them home and potted up in their cold frames. Croak!!!

Then there are those Dahlias you planted earlier this year, wow! Did you ever see such a finer display of the Bishop of Llandaff as these? Those tubers will be going left right and centre before closing time. Still, it'll save you the trouble of trying to prevent next door's furball from digging them up behind your back.

So, that's it, all that time and effort gone to waste and why? All because you humans think you can produce something better than mother nature does. Oh yes, you can improve on the overall appearance of flowering plants, but you'll never achieve the same glorious remarks as mother nature gets when one of you humans visits an alpine meadow, mountain ledge, forest glade or river bank. Not only that, but look at all the effort you have to put into what you do.... Ribbit!!!

Nature's carefree efforts

You really need to get out and about more often. See you next time,

Froggy