Perennials Usually Win Out in the End

Sunflowers, marigolds, sweet peas. While beautiful and vibrant when in bloom, I could never bring myself to ignore their short lifespans and load them up in a grocery cart. When the choice is between a flower that will die after one debut and one that is laying down roots for the long haul, I will always choose the latter. 

Sure. I understand the appeal of annual flowers. So many of them burn bright as they approach their expiration date, whereas perennials tend to have modest spurts of splendor. But if I am taking the time to clear dirt and drag around a hose, I want that effort to pay dividends. Give me a native plant that sometimes needs to be trimmed back because it’s “too” hardy and “too” successful. That’s where my money belongs.

With gardening, the cost-benefit analysis always seemed so obvious to me. Steady growth > one big bloom. But I haven’t approached everything this way.

Like many, I was convinced that I get bored too easily and always need a new challenge to feel like I’m doing something worthwhile. And it served me well in many ways. But productivity is not a substitute for fulfillment. When the only achievements you recognize are the ones that show up in your annual performance review, you are bound to chase praise with little rest. You could give your health and energy to an employer, and when you inevitably expire, they will cart you away for an end-of-season sale.