Do we appreciate where we live?

Another gardening website that I contribute to has bloggers mainly living in the UK and USA. For a few weeks there were very few new blogs coming on but now, it's really come alive, and all because of the weather. The sun breaking through the clouds or a small patch of bare earth peeping through the melting snow is enough to send northern hemisphere gardeners into raptures. Their fingers are itching to get outside and begin planting the seedlings they have grown from seeds during the winter under lights in their pantry, on a window sill or a spare room. They are leafing through seed, bulb and plant catalogues and, like all gardeners, wanting to order ten times as much as their gardens will hold. Their excitement is palpable.

Whilst we in most areas of Australia may not experience this joyful anticipation, we can be thankful that, for the most part, we can continue our gardening all year round. Okay, sometimes it's a bit too hot and other times just a bit chilly, but there is usually something we can find to do in our gardens at any time we get the urge. While showing a visiting Canadian friend around my garden years ago she said she was so envious of our climate; she only had four months in which to grow her favourite plants. Admittedly, in that four months everything grew like crazy, but the other eight months were bleak indeed.

So, do we realise how lucky we are? I do, but it still doesn't stop me wanting the perfect gardening climate, eg. warm sunny days in summer with rain every third night, etc. etc.