The Disappointed Gardener

(I would call myself the Grumpy Gardener, but if you read Southern Living, you know that name has already been claimed.)

I'm disappointed for two reasons. Actually, three. Scratch that, four.

First of all, something has been eating my zinnias. I don't know what the heck it is, and I don't know what the heck to do about it. So, while I was outside today with my son watching him play in this sweltering heat, I just started ripping them right out of the ground. That's right. More like the Ballistic Gardener. I flat-out gave up. To be honest, I don't know why I planted zinnias again this year. I really don't like them at all. Outside of planting them in flower boxes, I've never gotten them to look like this, for sure.

So now my flower beds have big pockets in them where my dying zinnias used to be, and the few that are left look awful. I just didn't have the heart to rip them all out.

Second, my perennials have not come up yet. Now, y'all, I'm taking that as a sign that they're not going to be coming up. I planted these back in February, and left    wide    open     spaces    for them to come up. And, nope. Nothing. So, wonderful, I have more empty places in my flower beds.

Third, my crepe myrtle in the backyard, which we planted last spring, has not bloomed. It doesn't look dead, but it does not have a single bloom. And it was so pretty last year! I mean, am I the only idiot that could kill a crepe myrtle? There's a reason that they're planted along roads--they're practically immortal! But, alas, I might be nicknaming this one D-E-A-D.

And finally, my hydrangea bush was starting to grow out of the shade and into the sun, which as all southerns know, zapped my beautiful hydrangea blooms until they were a pale, sickly yellow. I had to cut them off, and now I only have tiny blooms that are located in the shade. I guess that's what I get for not have one single tree on my property.

Thanks for putting up with the Disappointed Gardener. In happy gardening news, the rest of my flowers look beautiful and my other crepe myrtle (which I have nicknamed Leo the Late Bloomer--have you read the book?) is just now starting to bloom. :)