Creativity + Patience + Stamina + Knowledge = The Traits of the Great Gardener

I've been gardening.  I want the miniscule side garden to look nice when 20 Something shows up tomorrow.  I'm almost done.

I chose some new plants this year:

• The Obedient Plant which I'm hoping lives up to its name.  
• The Japanese Painted Fern which won Perennial of the Year in 2004!!!!!  
• Pincushion Plant, which might have been a mistake.  It already looks a little ticked off and reluctant to grow.
• Lavender because I'm thinking Husbandman might want to start a Lavender Soap Company this summer. 

Every year I don't want to garden, but every year I do and I end up letting our teeny garden turn into a massive time suck.  I spend a lot of time staring at the plants after I stick them in the ground.  I'm talking A LOT of time.  Just standing and staring.  It's kind of odd, even for me. I've been reading about the qualities of the great gardener.  Not sure I have what it takes, but there's something about gardening that appeals to my compulsivity.