I’m an impulse gardener. Browsing catalogs and garden centers for additions that catch my eye makes me happy. Planning doesn’t suit my style and never works for me anyway. Limiting myself to annuals simplifies things and gives me the chance to start over with new plants every year.

Skipping fall planting to improve the soil left all my planting beds barren. The surprise reappearance in late January of two varieties (cyclamen and primula) prompted an outing in search of companions. I’d mostly filled up the flower bed they’re in before COVD-19 brought everything to a screeching halt.

Undeterred by a little pandemic, I immediately went online in search of tomatoes, peppers, and bedding plants. Shipping veggie plants to Georgia is apparently illegal. Just about everything else was out of stock, but I found a few things to order. Finally got the plants earlier this week.

I stayed home for an eternity before finally deciding tomato plants were an essential purchase. Lowe’s — the nearest garden center to my house — was packed. I put on Marie’s mask, gloved up, and swept through the garden center with ninja-like speed grabbing dirt, four tomato plants, two pepper plants, zinnia seeds, and some marigolds.

Gerber daisies I planted years ago keep coming back. Turns out, they’re perennial in my Zone 8 garden and bloom better with frequent dividing. Who knew? Dug them up and planted numerous divisions toward the front of the border to free up a central location for the peppers and tomatoes.

Zinnias have long been a favorite. Dad grew tons of them for the highly-valued flower arrangements he gave to everyone he knew all summer. Zinnias are super easy to grow from seed. The trick is to keep the ground damp until they sprout. Being home made it possible to water every two or three hours throughout the day.

I’ve still got room, but need to act before summer heat sets in. Need to venture across town to see what Home Depot and a local garden center have to offer. I’ll keep you posted.