May Long Weekend: Bedding Out and Hardening Off

Apologizing for missing a couple of weekends, Lazy Gnome has been distracted by other things—there is more to life than obsessing about one’s landscaping—such as her elderly mother moving to the city where she knows no one, a friend recently diagnosed with cancer who is scheduled for surgery in 10 days, and so on.

Rant about the weather? Easily; however, that has been done more elegantly by others. But I am curious about one thing. There are, apparently, places on this planet (possibly even in Canada) where a person can have seasonal wardrobes. By this is meant that after a certain date is passed on the calendar, a person is safe to store away all their woollen sweaters and scarves and mitts, secure in the knowledge these items will not be required until, oh, another certain date on the calendar is passed. Perhaps this ritual is only an urban myth or the place exists only in fairy tales? Or, perhaps what we need in our homes is one of those conveyer-type clothes racks used at the drycleaners which could be synchronized with the Environment Canada website to automatically select the perfect combination of garments for us. Here, in Edmonton, in the season we ought to call “sprinter”, that could be a fetching matched set of Himalaya-worthy fleece, rubber galoshes and a sunhat to get us through the day.

Lazy Gnome appreciates the chilly weather, sort of. First, you have to work really, really hard to break a sweat when it is only 7.5C; therefore, there has been no need to carry a fancy hanky to dab one’s brow whence puttering outside recently. Also, when the weather is unbecoming as it is anytime there are particulates falling from the heavens—be they clear and soothing or white and sticky—there is ample justification not cut the lawn. Lovely.

Against her better judgement, LG did go to a Garden Centre on the Saturday of the May long weekend. She had her reasons. First, she rather thought that given the wet and cool weather that day, and the early hour, the crowds would not be too bad. That proved correct. Also, that particular Garden Centre had been recommended as a place to look for pet memorials. That proved correct, too. While other centres may have similar markers, she was quite happy at having driven many, many miles to purchase the stepping stone at that particular centre.

Oddly, she observed that there were scads of staff milling about, each of whom could not have been more friendly or helpful. More staff than customers in some areas it seemed. However, one of them slyly obtained a cart for LG who must have looked a sight trying to balance her overstuffed tray of items on her arm. Bad move, agreeing to a cart....LG found herself almost convincing herself that she should just buy another large, decorative pot so she could buy more annuals to fill it. Luckily, common sense prevailed. As it was, she spent more than she planned and will blame it all on the cart.

At the checkout, the friendly and helpful staff members said, “and be sure not to leave those flowers outside over night yet—with all this cool weather in the forecast for the next few days...” LG nearly rebuffed her. Surely, the worst of the weather is behind us—after all, it is the May long weekend and a late one at that! But what actually miffed LG was the insinuation that it was the May long weekend and the Garden Centre seemed to be confessing that it hadn’t bothered to harden off its annuals yet!

But, LG opted not to ask for clarification, and simply said,“thanks for mentioning that.”

Now, part of the reason LG did not challenge the comment is this. The previous weekend at a different home and garden store, she asked a gentleman who was watering the plants, “have these been hardened off?” He was speechless. Hmm. Is this usage of hers an example of Olde English, perhaps? A gardening store employee who hasn’t learned the lingo? Or has LG just brought with her the garden-speak of her native land to the south? The latter is quite possible given the debate she had with another gardener some years ago: are they “bedding plants” or “bedding out plants”?