State of the Front Garden

Last week, when my friend Suzanne and I were walking out of the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park to catch the bus back downtown, we came across an island of dahlias in the middle of the parking lot.  We were filled with excitement and joy at the outrageous effulgence.  In the past, I’ve never had any particular feelings one way or the other about dahlias, though I knew that gardeners can get completely obsessed with them.  This exuberant showing gave me a flash of insight as to why dahlias can inflame passion and dedication.  It was a sweet reminder always to be open to new wonder, even from things we have previously experienced and thought we knew.