A Marriage Made in Heaven And Earth

Image Gallery AMY YOUNG

Last Laugh

You may be married to a couch potato after all.

Gardens and marriage have more in common than most people realize. They are both an affirmation of life, a symbol of faith in the future, a commitment to love and support. Both gardens and marriages are full of surprises and give great pleasure, but neither flourishes under stress.

On the other hand, you always know where your plants are, and if you get tired of them, it's easy to throw them out and start over.

A garden center full of colorful aromatic flowers can be as seductive as a candlelight dinner. Be careful — while they may be beautiful in bloom, many flowers last for only a few weeks each year. They spend the rest of the time lounging around, littering, and making constant demands for food and drink. They may even attract parasites.

Successful gardeners don't throw themselves at every flashy plant that shows up at the local nursery. They have learned not to take chances with strangers. Before they bring them home, they check them out. So should you.

Ask a friend who gardens, or find out from back issues of MOTHER.

1. Where does the plant come from? If it's new in town, beware. Exotic immi grants tend to need special diets. And worse, they're often susceptible to diseases and pests that don't bother local plants.

2. What kind of reputation does it have? Does it, like mint, bully its way through the garden? Like most roses, does it show off for a few weeks and become a deadbeat the rest of the year? Will it help support itself, either by attracting beneficial insects, providing shade, or satisfying your sense of taster, smell, sight, or touch?