Woe is me. And, probably every gardener at some, or multiple points through the year. We don’t have to try very hard to find some disappointment, or catastrophe, for certainly there is some weed that has tangled between the irises that will be next to impossible to extricate. Or whatever, and it could hardly be worse.

In recent weeks, two nights with temperatures falling into the low twenties damaged new leaves of many of the garden’s Japanese maples (Acer palmatum). With dozens of maples in the garden (twenty some varieties, and thirty some plants) this was a big concern. For several days I feared the worst, that some might not survive, or that they might not recover for months. After a few days, I was slightly encouraged that this was not the end of the world, but still I was disheartened by wilting and browning leaves.

Of course, a week later problems are not nearly as bad as they once seemed, which should surprise no one. In fact, some damage was done by the freeze, so my worries had some justification, but several weeks from now I suspect the freeze and any injury from it will be long forgotten. Except, I think, for two small maples that were potted with plans to hold them on the patio for a few years. Both are alive, but barely so. When such a small tree loses every leaf there’s good reason not to be optimistic, and I’m not.

So, there is some small reason to remain disappointed, and perhaps there is some joy when the garden falls just short of paradise.