Memorial Day weekend is usually a gardener's busiest of the year.

The containers of geraniums and similar plants go to the cemeteries. And you can put the containers of annuals out in your own yard.

With a little care, you can start planting your tender vegetables.

For me, it will be mostly vegetables.

I have some sweet potato plants sitting in the garage ready to be planted.

The peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and watermelon have been hardening off for a week and will go out in the garden. And I will have to set up some row covers for some of those plants.

The weather looks good for it, but I still would like to have a good day of gentle rain. I refuse to start watering yet, except for newly planted items, but it is beginning to get dry.

But the gardening will not be done without touches of beauty. The lilacs are coming into bloom, as are the azaleas. Here is a picture Nancy took Thursday of an azalea in a friend's garden. I don't know the variety.

So anyway it will be a weekend of gardening – except for a little bit of time Monday to watch granddaughter Brigit march and play French horn in the South Portland Memorial Day parade.

There are some things more important than gardening.

Oh, yes, check out my column in the Telegram Sunday. I'll tell you the secret of how most home flower gardens are created.

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