Down In The Tallflower Meadow

It's an ongoing love hate relationship. There is no denying the beauty of nature's slightly manipulated exuberant chaos. My maintenance gardener mind rebels though and wants more control and order. The recently planted variegated Miscanthus does add an element of order that helps. In the tallflower meadow though, any such added element will have to be able to compete and stand out if it is to make any difference. In its first year, the miscanthus is just getting started.



There is a certain resignation that I must live with what nature has handed me. There is neither the time nor the budget to play with the illusion that I will ever take full control. Only a winning lottery ticket could accomplish that.



Instead I must learn to blend my gardening efforts into the nature of the beast. Garden? Tallflower meadow? Which could it be?



What was planted and what just showed up?



For end of season bloomers it means some height is required and a bit of thuggishness may be a very good thing when considering whether to add them to the tallflower meadow.



In the tallflower meadow there is a lot of competition and jostling for position.



Even closer to the ground no space is left empty. Lobelia siphilitica tucks itself in at the feet of the tall things.



But look what nature does when the gardener plays with the ingredients.



My maintenance gardener mind never shuts up though. I spend my days in well tended gardens and come home to exuberant chaos. At least there can be brief spells of order around here.



In theory a structural backbone of plants will allow the rambling wildflowers to go about their business and the maintenance gardener will be able to cope with the loss of control.



I am making progress on the structural backbone.



And the passersby will wonder, is it a garden or a wild meadow.



Only the gardener will know what was added, what was subtracted and what was let be.



Down in the tallflower meadow.