Put Down the Hoe

Put Down the Hoe

It happens every year, around the time when the “dog days” of summer set in. You’ve been absolutely smitten with your garden — watching each new flower come into blossom, admiring those close-to-perfect, beautifully manicured, colorful vistas. And then, almost imperceptibly, everything seems to droop and fade. As the keeper of the garden, you take this very personally.             But don’t. It’s just the mirage of August.             The time o…