I love my wrought iron garden stakes. They are a constant in the ever changing tides of color that ebb and flow through the flower beds that frame my back yard. When song birds first whisper and then crescendo into a orchestra’s worth of counterpointed warbles and spring emerges as if conjured up with a melodic incantation by those winged magicians, my wrought iron garden stakes stand tall, ready to greet the first bulb plants willing to brave the cold and daring enough to splash color on drab winter beds.
First, lonely crocuses cluster around towering wrought iron garden stakes. Then together, the rusted tall and the petaled small welcome the long limbed and graceful greens that unfurl yellow daffodil flags. As the sun becomes more faithful and the earth warmer, the pioneering plants fade, but in their footsteps come a rush of dancing late spring characters dressed to the hilt. Bluebells and blood root whirl and sway –fleeting but lively motion contrasted with and complementing the faithful stability of my rusted wrought iron garden stakes.
As the dewiness of 
spring lifts and drifts away, summer’s sultry humidity descends heavy with heat and with the liquid of life. It is the sun’s hour. And as if in recognition of its shining rule my wrought iron garden stakes point heaven-ward interspersed between yellow daisies and golden cosmos mimicking solar bursts as they drink in the moisture rich air.
Then as the nights begin to lengthen, the intense radiance of summer seems to gradually burn itself out leaving behind the smoldering ember of autumn. And how autumn smolders — glowing golds, brilliant browns, radiant reds, rusty oranges all surrounding and framing my decorative wrought iron garden stakes. As autumn’s ember burns cooler and its rich fall color fades into the ghostly grayscale of winter, my wrought iron garden stakes transition from playing harvest festival second fiddle to taking center stage as they begin to play solo accompanied only by swirling and whirling winter winds.
It is not a job to be envied, but my naturally rusted wrought iron garden stakes bravely enliven and cheer my yard when all of my flowers have retreated into a hiding hibernation. And they faithfully endure until they hear the first whispers of the song bird begin to harmonize with their melody and together my wrought iron garden stakes and their winged friends welcome the crocuses and daffodils back to dance in my garden.