Several years ago, I convinced my mother to invest in two smoke bushes to frame the back porch of her home. I loved the deep maroonish grey color of the plant. This recommendation, however, was the first and last that she took without hesitation. She still gives me the evil eye whenever I go to visit and admiringly comment on how nice they look. The evil eye stare is an indication that she blames me for the fact that it’s a pain to prune them every season to keep them down to a decent size.

This year, however, I didn’t get quite such an evil glare. I attribute this to the fact that her favorite mixed morning glories happily decided to climb up and weave in and out of the plants. First thing in the morning, you can sit in the kitchen or on the backyard patio and admire the early morning color before the blooms close up for the day. They add a little something to those foggy, Pennsylvania mornings. It’s one of the best happy garden accidents that I’ve seen, and I owe the morning glories a dept of gratitude for softening my mom’s bitterness toward her smoke bushes.

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A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

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MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point - no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.

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