Like many homeowners, I went through a phase (albeit short) where I tried to convert my backyard into a lush garden, complete with colorful flowers, a small fountain, and anything else I could find on the cheap. For a while, it actually looked nice. I had several large hibiscus plants with beautiful flowers, a really large bottle brush tree and an assortment of other plants and flowers. Then winter came.

Winter in Houston is usually just wet. Maybe a slight frost for a few nights, but nothing to get worried about. Oh, but not that year. It snowed on Christmas Eve. Yes, it looked beautiful and everyone loved it. Everyone except my plants. Then a month or two later we had an ice storm with long icicles everywhere. Not long afterwards things wilted and many items had to be cut way back, while many others died. If at first you don’t succeed, quit. Why waste your time.

I’m not that much of a defeatist, but if mother nature can step in at any moment and wipe away my hard work, then I was going to work on something else, inside maybe. I now have a great respect for farmers and anyone with a green thumb. I still have a few flowers, but now they’re the hardy, low maintenance type.

This pink hibiscus was found at Vargos in Houston.