Flower or Weed?

A few years ago a little tree came up volunteer in the edge of the Secret Garden.  We thought it interesting, the leaves were pretty and soon enough we were able to identify it as a rough leaf dogwood.  Over time we found that it blooms profusely in the springtime, lovely white blossoms.  We cultivated the tree, pruned it and took secret pride in its appearance.

Then after several seasons we realized that the tree was not only shading a huge portion of the garden it was clearly sapping the sustenance for the flowers beneath.  The solution:  the axe.  I thanked the tree for its display over the years and apologized to it for the destruction I was wreaking upon it.  It was soon gone to the composter.

Then.  Then we discovered how insidious and how devastating to the garden this plant really was, for there soon sprang up all along the root system little treelets seeking to perpetuate the life of the dogwood.  The root was far from dead and now we see the extent of the sneaky invasion, for these roots extend throughout the garden to its very edges in all directions.

There is but one solution to the problem.  The gardener must dig and tear the roots by main force from the earth in which they are embedded.

Has some pretty little thing taken root in your life?  At first it seemed so innocuous, fun even, then it developed into a full-grown vice or habit.  You did not realize what inappropriate shade it was casting over your life until the fruit of your garden was shriveling, small and tasteless.  Worse, you did not see the extent to which the thing had embedded itself into your very life.

And when you do realize the extent of the problem you are helpless to resolve the issue.  The only recourse is to call on the Master Gardener.

Word of the day: innocuous