by John Watkins, director of grounds at Discovery Park of America

The good old Wintertime – when the frost covers your windshield in the mornings when it knows darn well that you don’t have an ice scraper, and the sun decides to go down at five in the afternoon before you can even leave the office.

Doesn’t seem like much of a time to be interested in gardening unless you are a true die-hard fan and not just jumping on the bandwagon when your garden is in full bloom. So, for all you loyal garden followers, have I got an article for you.

I consider myself an avid supporter of football, and since this year ushered in the new CFP (College Football Playoff) system, I have to admit that I couldn’t have been more excited. (At least until my beloved Tennessee Vols fell out in the first round. Alas, nothing we haven’t had to deal with before.) Anyway, I thought it might be fun to come up with a little playoff of my own, which I have entitled “The GGP” or the “Great Garden Playoff”. This is where I pick a couple of worthy gardening opponents, place them in a bowl game, and see where they line up against each other.

Let’s start with the Mulch Bowl. This exciting matchup includes two tried-and-true teams vying for the coveted honor of Mulch Monarch. On the home side, we have the “Hardwood Barkers” who seem to have a lot of depth in the affordability and availability rankings, not to mention the fact that they are biodegradable and really give us garden fans something to break down about. Their opponents, the “Graveliers,” have a rock-solid defense and a resume that is all but written in stone. While the Gravelier’s success depends on a solid weed barrier to stem the rush of weeds from penetrating their defense, this team is all about longevity and legacy.

The Irrigation Bowl is another tournament favorite that guarantees fans won’t be left out to dry. This year’s opponents are both worthy contenders with winning records and similar strengths and weaknesses. The “Drippers” come into the playoffs with a truly down-to-earth approach of placing water where the plants need it most (the root zone) without wasting any of their resources. However, the “Sprinklers” have the advantage when it comes to cost and maneuverability. They’re not afraid to throw it long, especially when the pressure is on, so don’t be caught off guard.

This year’s Color Bowl will surely bring a lot of debate to the table regarding which team is most deserving of the coveted title of MCB (Most Colorful Bloomers). While the “Pastels” have been a popular favorite in past years, it’s hard to deny the mass appeal that the “Bold Primaries” bring to the field. To be honest, this game is a toss-up in my book, with each team having their own standouts and diversity according to where they are played.

And finally, the granddaddy of the GGP bowl season, The Life-Cycle Bowl. I promise that this one will be a battle of the generations as the “Annuals” take on the “Perennials”. While the “Annuals” do require a lot of substitutions from season to season, they more than make up for that by being highly seeded and adaptable to both day and night games (sun and shade). But my pick will probably have to stay with the perennial favorite, the “Perennials”. First of all, these players just don’t quit and continue to be reliable from year to year. Secondly, this team isn’t afraid of taking full advantage of the transfer portal and can be dug up, divided and replanted without missing a beat.

Whoever you decide to pull for this year, you can’t go wrong with your garden picks if you just practice hard, stay hydrated and go in with a winning attitude.

Click here to see more from the Winter 2025 issues of PARIS! Magazine.