For a lovely weekend afternoon activity, check out Watters Garden Center on Iron Springs Road.

As Iron Springs Road was undergoing a recent 2-year makeover, so was Watters. Late afternoon in late summer at the Garden Center affords you a serene, park-like atmosphere. If you take the time to meander, you’ll find some heavily discounted plants tucked here and there. In my last two weekend trips I scored some beautiful roses. Just yesterday I got a David Austin “Charlotte” for $7.99!

Aside: with our empty next came a return to hand-washing dishes. My husband, the energy- and water-conservation czar, has developed a habit of pouring the kitchen sink dishwater on the rosebed outside the kitchen window. With a yard that is mostly all drought tolerant plantings other than a few barely-holding-on roses, this new approach has wrought a miracle! The roses are flourishing and pest free!)

All the fountains are running, birds are chirping, and in this unhurried atmosphere (even in the rain!), you’ll go home rested. Late summer is the best time to hit Watters. And remember, it’s the oldest locally owned garden center in our area.

The construction is over, or mostly over, so if you’ve been avoiding the area, try it again. You’ll be glad you did.