Green Thumb or Red in the Face?

So, I've always wanted to be a master gardener. Last year I started a garden BUT it didn't work out so well. You see, I learned quite a few things during my first attempt at a garden:

1) Planting a garden is hard work. (why does no one tell you this??)

2) A garden won't grow well in soil that is a combination of clay, sand and rocks.

3) Weeds really like to be in gardens....sometimes more than their plant friends do.

4) Some plants cannot survive not being watered for over a week....obviously only the weak ones...

All in all, it wasn't pretty. I walked away from the whole experience ticked off and jaded about plant-life in general. I eventually got over it (thank heavens!) and decided to take another stab at this whole gardening thing. (But first, I completely ripped out the whole garden, covered it with landscape paper and sentenced it to life with mulch.) My second attempt was well...more practical. I went to Menards and bought a bajillion teracotta pots and decided to start a pot garden....I mean, a potted garden! (C'mon people!)

From there on out, life as a gardener was great! No weeding, perfect soil, lush green plants thriving! I loved it! I'd stare out the back window and admire my beauties and I even remembered to water them daily (ok, maybe every other day!)

THEN...one night after work, I was cooking dinner and glanced out the window only to discover a scandelous affair! My backyard neighbor was watering MY plants! What? My plants were loving it - soaking up every last drop...obviously unaware I was watching every second of it. I was hurt...though I didn't know if it was a) because my neighbor thought I was unreliable as a gardener and felt he needed to intervene or b) because I couldn't help but wonder if perhaps my plants were ONLY alive due in part to the secretive waterings from my neighbor. Hmph.

I told Paul this story when he got home that night. He laughed.

So, we're still not sure if I have a green thumb or not BUT I was definitely red in the face that night!