A LUSH FANTASYLAND

Every year I observe an early spring ritual....the purchase of garden magazines that pop up at the check out counter at the local Fred Meyer. These magazines usually have the same themes: cottage, country, small gardens. The covers offer the lush, overblown style that makes me desperate for spring to get started in earnest here in the Rogue Valley. Meanwhile I can drool over pages of hideously flowered gardens in full bloom while my garden is barely leafing out.
Is this just a form of trowel torture? Yes! Do I really aspire to this form of lushness? Not really. So why do I fall for these slick page wonders with over the top gardens? Good question!
My rationale goes like this: "If I just get one or two ideas from this magazine, the $9.99 that I paid will be worth it. And besides, I can look at the photos during the commercial breaks of Dancing With the Stars..."
Speaking of lush and overblown, these magazines would have you believe that your vines must practically grow over your roof and encroach on your front entry, your perennials beds should be at least 20' deep,  your bedding plants should escape their borders to obscure your garden paths and your potted plant collection should number in the hundreds...oh, and your patio should be kitted out with Oriental carpets, objects d' arte and expensive upholstered furniture.
Meanwhile I'm waiting for my pressure washer to be fixed at Hubbard's Hardware (they promised it 2 weeks ago), watching my maple trees drop millions of little "butterfly" winged seeds to pile up in the gutters and witnessing the "slugsational attack" on my tulip leaves.
Yes, it's good to have a little escape into a slick paged, lush Fantasyland to keep from going mad!