We needed the impetus of a warm, bright sunny day to finally influence us that night-time frosts would no longer occur. And that naturally led to the conclusion we were safe to begin planting annuals to brighten the garden landscape.

Perennials were emerging nicely from the garden beds and borders and the flowering crabs were in full bloom; the magnolias still boasting their fabulous blossoms. This week-end would give us the opportunity. And it did.

The pots we have scattered about our property to give bright jolts of colour and shape to the landscape give us enormous pleasure every summer season, well into late fall. So the planting commenced, with dracaena in the center of some of the pots, and this year also a few hostas for shape and form, surrounded by begonias, wave petunias, lobelia and a variety of plant fillers, many of which will drape gracefully over the garden pots.

At the present time the pots are simply there as nurseries, encouraging the growth of the newly-planted flowering stock. Before long they will become fully crowded with the bounty of beautifully colourful flowers and foliage, barely resembling in exuberant abundance their current look of meek modesty.