Lisa’s Year End Garden Review, the Good, The Bad and the Ugly

Hey there, Green Thumb Gang! Ken Lain, the Top 10 Gardener, here, ready to sip some hot cocoa and reminisce about the good, the bad, and the downright hilarious moments of our 2023 garden journey! Buckle up, it's gonna be a wild ride down memory lane!

January: Remember that brutal cold snap? Your pansies turned into popsicles, and the birds looked like feathery snowballs. But hey, it gave us an excuse to snuggle indoors with seed catalogs and dream of spring blooms!

February: Love was in the air (and the greenhouse)! We sowed seeds with hopeful hearts, watching tiny sprouts peek through the soil like baby chicks hatching. And who can forget the Valentine's Day massacre when Cupid's arrow struck my prized rose bush, leaving it thorny and heartbroken?

March: Spring sprang into action! Daffodils danced in the breeze, bees buzzed with newfound purpose, and we all got a little mud up to our elbows. Remember the Great Slug Massacre of '23? We fought those slimy fiends with vengeance, protecting our tender lettuce like knights guarding a queen's salad.

April: Easter egg hunts and blooming cherries painted the world in pastels. Butterflies fluttered like confetti, and the first whiff of tomato leaves was like a summer serenade. And let's not forget the epic battle with the neighborhood squirrel who declared war on my bird feeder!

May: Flowers overflowed like confetti at a party, veggies sprouted like popcorn kernels, and the sun finally felt like a friend, not a foe. Remember the time we planted an entire row of potatoes upside down? We may have laughed then, but those spuds still haunt my dreams!

June: Sunburns blossomed alongside our sunflowers, fireflies twinkled like tiny stars, and the scent of barbecue mingled with honeysuckle. And who can forget the Great Basil Bonanza? We made pesto galore, infusing everything from pizza to ice cream with that vibrant green goodness.

July: Fourth of July fireworks rivaled the zinnias in our gardens, kids splashed in sprinklers, and the heat had us all seeking shade like lizards on a rock. Remember the night the possum raided my compost bin? Let's just say his uninvited waltz left a lasting (and smelly) impression.

August: Dog days arrived, but so did juicy peaches and plump tomatoes. We canned, we pickled, we ate our weight in watermelon, and grumbled about the endless weeding. And who can forget the Great Zucchini Apocalypse? Those prolific squash threatened to take over the entire neighborhood!

September: Crisp mornings hinted at autumn, leaves started their slow-motion ballet, and the harvest moon cast an ethereal glow on our pumpkin patches. Remember the Grapes for Good fundraiser? We stomped and laughed our way to a record haul, raising funds for a worthy cause while getting deliciously sticky.

October: Halloween costumes and crunchy leaves painted the landscape in orange and black. Pumpkins grinned from porches, and bonfires crackled with cozy magic. Remember the time my scarecrow mysteriously came to life (okay, maybe it was just the wind, but it sure scared the bejeebers out of me!)

November: Thanksgiving feasts and falling snow reminded us of nature's bounty. We raked leaves into golden mountains, planted garlic for next spring's bounty, and snuggled indoors with hot cocoa, dreaming of summer days. Remember the epic snowball fight with the neighbors? I may still have a welt shaped like a snowman, but the memories are priceless!

December: Finally, we're here, cuddled up by the fire, reflecting on the year gone by. It was a bumpy, messy, glorious ride, full of triumphs and disasters, laughter and tears. But one thing's for sure: every weed pulled, every bloom admired, every tomato devoured made us closer to our gardens, and closer to each other.

So here's to 2023, the year we laughed in the face of slugs, danced with butterflies, and learned that even the ugliest weeds can teach us something beautiful. May the next year be even greener, bountiful, and full of garden adventures!

Happy growing, y'all! And don't forget to share your own garden memories in the comments below!

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