At this time of year, gardening columnists often write about the influx of new catalogs. They say things such as, "When it's freezing outside, relax inside with your favorite flower or plant catalog" or "Mark your catalogs and order early."

These sound like timely tips, and what gardener could resist whiling away the winter blahs daydreaming about his or her spring garden? But in my mind, I scream "Bah! Humbug!"

Why am I most Scroogey about catalogs, you might wonder? Simply put, it's the photographs. They're meant to entice, enchant, engage and invite. But too often these pictures disturb, detach, disgruntle and dissatisfy. I'll never be able to grow anything half as pretty as what's displayed on those pages, and you likely won't either. You can't help but expect these plants, which look like they're on growth hormones, will look as good in your own garden. But they just don't.

Take a close look at the photographs in the spring catalogs of White Flower Farm, Territorial Seed Co., Burpee's or any one of the others. I searched in vain using a magnifying glass for one tiny blemish, bug or beetle on a leaf, stem, or petal. There's not even the teeniest hint of discoloration, disease or dirt on any bloom pictured. That just ain't right.

My garden is not a dainty place, and I like it like that. Petals get torn, Japanese beetles munch here and there, and other bugs chew and leave telltale signs that they like my garden. This is how it should be. Bees, butterflies, birds, bugs and all kinds of other garden inhabitants make themselves known and sometimes even are photographed.

Why don't the catalogs show pictures of real plants in real gardens with real bugs buzzing and crawling all around? I'll tell you why. Their photographs are fake, Photoshopped and otherwise otherworldly.

Now, I'm not such a curmudgeon that I'll never buy from a catalog. I just don't expect miracles. I suggest you do the same and remember this: Come spring, everything in the garden changes for the better, and every plant is beautiful.