Hellebores bloom for the new year.

The old rabbit, Fifteen, took one more walk around the garden while she waited for Sixteen to arrive. She lingered a bit and admired all she had done through the year.

She was pleased she had finally gotten rid of the big Viburnums that anchored two corners of the vegetable garden and replaced them with Pawpaw trees.  The newly planted trees were doing well, but she needed to remind Sixteen to weed around them and maybe give them some fresh mulch.

Ditto the quince tree, which she had planted right in the middle of the perennial border called Plopper’s Field.  Fifteen was certain that over the years, the quince tree would grow and change the look of Plopper’s Field, maybe add a bit of structure to it, and she thought that would be just fine.

As she looked over the garden, Fifteen noted that Sixteen would have to do most of the cutting back of the perennials. She just didn’t have the time for it though she wasn’t quite sure she could exactly account for the time she should have spent cutting them back.  No matter.  But she thought she had left the vegetable garden in good shape. It was cleaned up enough so that Sixteen would just need to scratch the dirt a bit on one of those raised beds when it was time to plant peas.

As Fifteen got closer to the gate, she checked her watch and realized she only had a few hours left.  “I should make a few notes about the weather”, she said to no one in particular.  It seemed so important to Carol. She had done a good job with it overall, though some said August was a bit dry. And she had left most of the winter weather for Sixteen to deal with.  She beamed at how nice she’d made the weather on Christmas Day.

Oh, and how could Fifteen forget.  She was the one who planted the Camellias in the Garden of Southern Follies and Delights.  She would need to make some special notes about those for Sixteen.

Finally, Fifteen edged closer to the garden gate, with her notes in hand, and her bags packed. “Almost time to go and it feels like I just got here.”

Then, just as the clock began to chime the midnight hour, right on time she saw the new bunny, Sixteen, coming toward the gate.

“Welcome”, said Fifteen to Sixteen. Here are my notes and good luck to you. Take good care of the garden, and take good care of Carol and don’t forget…

Too late. Fifteen had to leave before she could offer the last piece of advice to Sixteen.  “Don’t forget what?” was Sixteen’s first thought as he bounded through the gate and looked around the garden.

“Now, where can I leave my mark on this garden, and where is Carol, I’ve got a long list of projects I’m going to make her complete this year. Yes, I do”.

Happy New Year from all of us at May Dreams Gardens!