Drought Tolerant

 

Words have specific meanings, meanings that communicate ideas, which have consequences, right?

My understanding of some words, however, is not always surefire – sometimes what I want words to mean can override their basic definition.   This also is not without consequences.

For example, drought tolerant on the tag introducing a plant or flower means the plant can tolerate a little more heat and dryness than say, impatiens. Hoping to have an easy to care for garden, one that would not require much effort, in previous years, when I saw drought tolerant—sun tolerant, I interpreted from the description they could live without regular watering.  I read planting instructions with my desires decoding the meaning instead of common-sense gardening instructions:

All plants . . . have drought tolerant potential both from results in trials and what is inherent in the genetics. Remember that Florida drought and Arizona drought are different animals. Dry with drought is different from humid with drought; this terminology is relative to your region, so use caution when using this information.

ALL plants need at least 2 weeks of regular frequent watering to become well established in the landscape, longer for larger pots and shrub lines. NONE . . . will do well watered once at planting and never watered again. (What Some Say – emphasis added)

Such redefinitions have never borne flowers in Maryland or Texas!  But I see an analogy or two flourishing, that caution me.   If relying on my own definitions because I am lazy can wither plants, such habits may wilt even hardy friendships.  Too many plants suffered because what I wanted from them – to flourish without much help from me – was altogether unrealistic.  No friendship does well without watering.  

Following is a simple layout for a garden that will bear fruit. It’s old-fashioned but her gardening advice, gleaned from a favorite quotes’ site, overflows with words whose meaning have great consequences. 

A GARDEN, by Eugenie Prime

For best results, this garden should be planted every day:
Five rows of "P"eas:
Preparedness,
Promptness,
Perseverance,
Politeness,
Prayer.

Three rows of squash:
Squash gossip,
Squash criticism,
Squash indifference.

Five rows of Lettuce:
Let us love one another,
Let us be faithful,
Let us be loyal,
Let us be unselfish,
Let us be truthful.

Three rows of turnips:
Turn up for church,
Turn up with a new idea,
Turn up with the determination to do a better job tomorrow than you did today

                                                                        ~

Kind hearts are the gardens,
Kind thoughts are the roots,
Kind words are the flowers,
Kind deeds are the fruits.

Take care of your garden
And keep out the weeds,
Fill it with sunshine
Kind words and kind deeds.
Longfellow

                                                                          ~

The centre of trouble is not the turbulent appetites -- though they are troublesome enough. The centre of trouble is in the personality of man as a whole, which is self-centred and can only be wholesome and healthy if it is God-centred. ~ William Temple(1881-1944)  

And I have had the empty pots and bedraggled beds to prove it.