Category Archives: Garden Stories

The kiwi vines are thick and green,
hanging heavily on the wires,
Small fruits hide, camouflaged
in their dense, jade spires.

Smiles of surprise and delight
with every precious find.
Each new bunch of grape-sized
fruit brings thrills to heart and mind.

Steps falter, a gasp escapes,
the cold grip of dread replaces
the bright hand of happiness
that just filled our faces.

Tiny iridescent blights of death
crunching on thick leaves.
My heart fills with angry woe
at these loathsome insect thieves.

That these horrid bugs dare
to threaten and cruelly waste
our long-awaited first harvest…
leaves behind a bitter taste.

The first taste of his radish,
brought big smiles to Joe’s face.
He savored it a moment,
then spit and gagged…with grace.

Jacob’s find was better.
A snap pea, sharp and sweet.
The crunch was loud and crisp,
a taste that can’t be beat.

They each pulled out a carrot,
the root was thin like hay.
“Oh boys, you won’t have carrots
until another day.”

They pulled some weeds and chattered
about their garden dreams.
It took just one small veggie,
now they work as a team!

Tiny, rosebud flowers
grow on every vine.
Hiding brightly in the green
waiting for their time.

So far, every bud we find
is female through and through.
Just like squash, we need
a male to pollinate them too.

Is this the year we eat one?
Will fruits grow big and sweet?
Or will we lose each tiny bud
to beetles we can’t beat?

Tiny, whitish flowers
grow thick on the vine.
Hiding softly in the green
waiting for their time.

Hiding in the bushes,
nestled in the green.
Slowly turning back and forth,
you calmly watch the scene.

Rustling in the roses,
your head snaps to the side.
Cautiously you step, then pause,
your eyes kept open wide.

Sensing your dark presence,
the prey shivers in fright.
Stealthy, you close in and then–
CHOMP! You take a bite!

Teeny, tiny yellow dots
are moving on the plants.
Little pinprick holes in spots
like sticky, icky ants.

These pollen looking pests all
crowd and gather on the stem.
Around the leaves they all crawl
and munch and crunch on them.

What are these nasty vermin?
And from where did they come?
Milkweed aphids have moved in
and made us all feel glum.

How far will this army go
with their full-blown attack?
Stripping leaves to my great woe,
they eat their milkweed snack.

It’s quiet in the garden,
and yet I can’t explain.
All of my tomatoes seem
to stay a shade of green.

Some are jade with yellow stripes
and some with darker hues.
Some are trying hard to change
while others just refuse.

On the vine they linger,
a feast for all the bugs.
I gnash my teeth in anger
and watch the slimy slugs.

As one last hopeless effort,
I check back to the day
I planted these tomatoes.
What do the packets say?

When I looked at the pictures,
chagrined, I shook my head.
All were green and yellow striped,
not one of them was red!