The Color of Hope

Finally, finally, after a dry August, it rained in Indianapolis today, nearly an inch on my garden.

It feels like it was just in the knick of time. My lawn was an even tan throughout, so tan and dry and dormant that I had started to water it this past weekend. And then I noticed some of the shrubs I planted this spring looked like they had been hit by a blow torch. So I watered them, too.

And as perennial flowers wilted for lack of water, I watered them, too.

I know some gardeners, especially in places like Texas, have suffered through a long summer of drought and record heat. They are probably thinking right now, “What? You’re complaining after just one month of no rain?”

In some ways, I think this dry month after three months of plentiful amounts of rainfall, was harder on the plants. The plants were spoiled through May, June, July. They didn’t have to grow roots too deep to get to water. It was always there! Right there!

The plants got lazy.

That’s why when August came and the rain stopped, the plants went into shock. They wilted. They mourned the lack of water.

But finally today it rained.

And now I’m seeing hints of green in my once tan lawn.

Green is the color of hope, of life, of renewal. It’s almost like a new spring.

Except we know that with shorter days and soon cooler temperatures, it isn’t spring, it’s fall. The green will not last forever. We know that plants are already starting to change, to slow down and stop the growth and renewal of leaves and buds and focus more on root growth, to prepare for winter.

That’s why fall is good for planting. All that root growth makes the trees and shrubs stronger, more able to withstand periods of drought, like this past August.

So as the grass turns green once again, it gives me hope. Now I’m ready to dig and mulch and plant again.