The 80/20 rule

 In 1906, Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto observed that 80 percent of the land in Italy was owned by 20 percent of the population. Later, he noticed this ratio seemed to apply to other parts of life. For example, 80 percent of his peas were produced by just 20 percent of the pea pods.  More recently, Pareto's Principal has been applied to everything from personal relationships to management.  The 80/20 rule basically reminds us to stay focused on the 20 percent that matters most.

So getting back to gardening, you could say that only 20 percent of the tasks really make a difference, because they produce 80 percent of the results. This is pretty liberating, actually, if you need a reason not to crawl around under shrubs pulling out little weeds that no one can see.  Or giving up on flower beds in dry corners of the yard.  Or digging out those invasive plants that don't give any pleasure, much less 80 percent.  And so on. 

As I wrote yesterday, in June the roses finally seem "worth" the work, even though hardly anyone sees them but me.  Well, that's not exactly true. And when that day comes when I don't have a garden, I'll have pictures and memories.

"If you look for perfection, you will never be happy."

Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina