Fear of failure is the most frequently cited reason why people stay out of the garden. They might kill a plant. If I thought like that I would end up locked in the bedroom closet and you would be spared my weekly ramblings.

Fortunately, I have learned to enjoy my successes and to treat my failures as learning experiences. I hear a lot of gardeners say that they don't give up on a plant until they have killed it three times. Success comes mostly from knowing what not to do.

Here come some of my fear cures. First, think about the planting spot. At least consider light, moisture and wind. I guess I should add soil but I doubt if that is as important as the first three. Morning sun is easy and excludes few plants from the garden pallet. With shade or afternoon sun you must be more selective.

In other words, rule one is to pick the plant for the site. Do not try to make the site suit the plant. On the subject of moisture, if you have watered anything besides new transplants and containers this year you are probably over doing it. Excess water is the number one killer of plants.

That windy, cold weekend we had at the end of March this spring drove home the risk posed by the winter wind. Most plants that suffered from that experience recovered nicely for those with patience.

Do not get in a hurry. Let the garden evolve. Set reasonable goals. Buy only the number of plants that you can get planted in a reasonable amount of time. I cringe when I hear people buying plants while admitting that they still have some to plant from last week or even two weeks ago.

When we go to the garden center or greenhouse we are quick to buy what looks pretty. That's ok if you are buying plants that you know. If you don't know the plant, take a little information home with you. Read the signs, the tags or question the person taking your money.

Some plants are easy to grow and some are quite difficult. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned veteran, it is important to pick your challenge. I frequently ask about the risks in growing a plant I am unfamiliar with.

Finally my favorite cause of death in the garden, which I learned from an instructor at Longwood Gardens, is called SID. That stands for sudden inexplicable death. Sometimes a plant just dies and the cause can't be explained.

Most of us are too young to remember when the guy on the dime said "you have nothing to fear but fear itself". He wasn't talking about the garden but he could have been.