I was so thankful for the rain over the weekend—my brain is buzzing with hopeful ideas and plans for my garden's recuperation this spring.

This year will be difficult for me as a gardener, because my knee-jerk action is to plan a big, showy spring annual growing season that will both enhance my perennials and deciduous trees, and carry over into summer and into fall. But with the drought of 2007, and the lingering lowered water levels, big and showy is neither environmentally wise nor financially conscientious.

I'd like to do a little research this winter to find low-maintenance, easily sustainable, heat tolerant plants that won't be so dependent on water, and that will assist my family's efforts at conserving not only water, but also the amount of energy we consume in our home.

Seems like a tall order, but I know with a little research and a lot of community conversation we can do it. I've been known for several years as "The Optimistic Gardener" ... but I'm charging myself in 2008 with becoming "The Conscientious Gardener."

• Do you have any grand plans for your garden this year?