Flowers play an important part in my life. There is so much about them that I enjoy. Their fragrance, their colors, even the sounds they make in the breeze. And the smiles they bring when shared.
There are so many different kinds and textures of flowers that it's oftentimes hard to choose which ones should go in my ever growing garden. Sometimes it's good to have a plant that comes back year after year called a perennial. And other times for a spot of color, an annual is best.
As I was contemplating planting this year, I was determining which plant goes best where, and the thought came to my mind— If I was a flower, would I be an annual or a perennial? So I decided to remind myself what's best and most challenging about each of these types.
I decided to start with annuals, because those are the fun flowers. They are normally the least expensive of the two. When an annual is planted in the spring they normally stay blooming all season long. It grows fast and shares its color and joy for all to see. At the first sign of frost, the flowers lose their bloom and the plants wither and are gone forever. I love annuals, but miss them when the season is over. I remember having a particular flower that I was never able to replace.
Let's also look at perennials. They have a shorter blossoming time but never give up. In the cold weather they may disappear, but as soon as the warmth hits in the spring, they are back ever faithful to not only bloom another season, but spread and continue to grow. The initial cost is much higher, but don't have to be replaced every year. Because perennial spread they can be moved around in the garden and shared with friends. At times they can become invasive and hard to remove.
Is one better than the other? They both have a place in my garden. My annuals have steady color all season long and my perennials bloom and make the garden ever changing. I get to choose new annuals every year for that pop of color and rely on my perennials to be there every year. If my garden was only full of perennials, there would be plenty of times when all that could be seen is green. When a garden is full of only annuals, each year you have to start from scratch,
When it comes to people some of my friends tend to be annuals and others perennials.
Some are like annuals. They bring fun to my life and are a bright star and are in my life for a short period of time.
Some of my friends are more like perennials in and out of my life when I need them but steady and reliable,
So, am I an annual or perennial? What are you?
Some people popping in and out of our lives bring joy and variety like an annual. And others are always there when needed year after year similar to a perennial.
At the end of each season, I take special care with my perennials so they will return for another year. I have been bringing some of my annuals inside so they stay alive and now I have plants that are over 40 years old. It's the best of both worlds.
Unlike flowers I like to think that we can cultivate the qualities we want. We can take special care of each other and bring our best to the world at all times for ourselves and those in need.