A Garden Becoming

In my travels I see things. Then I want one. Saucer Magnolia. Check.



Creeping Phlox. Check.



The question then becomes how and where do I introduce a new plant in to the wild state of the garden to be? Every square inch is already spoken for by previous inhabitants. Something has to go.



This is how not to garden. I came home with a tray of Salvia nemorosa 'Viola Klose'. That Lurie Garden image from Chicago still lingers. Then I proceeded to weed out only the grass from the place I wanted to put them. The idea of preparing a proper bed before hand falls by the wayside when I come home from doing that for clients. Besides there are other good things in there already, maybe even some wild good things.



In just this weeded section alone there is a yellow mum that followed me home, some sedum from a friend and Mexican Hat, Ratibida columnifera that I seeded. I was happy to see them back while weeding. There is also a maybe living Russian Sage and Cat Mint, Nepeta sp. There is bound to be goldenrod, asters, Ox-Eye Daisy, Queen Ann's Lace and who know what else might show up. I only wanted to edit out the fescue grass I seeded long ago to hold the slope while I was busy with other things.

This is not the proper way to garden. Hopefully I will get around to adding some wood chip mulch or I will be setting myself up for non stop editing.



Every year I worry if the Foxtail Lilies, Eremurus, will come back. I worry that it is too wet for them up here in the rain forest. I must have picked the right well draining spot. They are back.



After four long years a garden really is becoming.



There is much editing ahead of me and steady growing of selected plants for a garden to finally be. The wise thing I think at this point is to concentrate on eliminating the known unwanteds, the thugs who want to rule. No need to worry about detailed weeding now or maybe ever. Most of my weeds are wildflowers. And my flowers that aren't weeds have a tendency to go wild.