My friend, Michelle, was over yesterday to aid in the annual raking in of the cash that we call a Yard Sale.Afterwards we toured the estate. Michelle pronounced that there are only three kinds of gardens, or she read about it, or made it up or something. They are: Cottage, Japanese & American Border. She felt these were constricting- what if you don't want those sorts of gardens? I think they are only constricting if you choose to accept those categories.
But.... like religions or astrology, it might give you a framework for thinking about things. I was trying to figure out what sort of garden I have. It certainly isn't Japanese. And I don't think it is cottage style. It must be American Border. If that is so, how did all these elements of a cottage garden sneak in? Michelle noticed that I had allowed the Daisies and Black-Eyed Susans to run rampant. She said it even looked neglected! I made excuses- 6" of rain in the last two weeks, blah, blah, blah.
So today during a brief respite from the rain, when the sun came out to bake things into a big steamy pudding I went out and pulled up everything that shouldn't be there. Including all the Johnny Jump Ups , which I think are adorable. I think sometimes I get so caught up in every little plants right to exist in my yard that I forget that gardens are a man-made (woman-made) construct. It is okay to tear things out because they don't look good or don't conform to my vision of my garden.
That being said, I am SERIOUSLY considering yanking out a Pieris on the side of my house even though it is about 4 feet across. I have never liked them. I also have a Taplow Blue Globe Thistle, 3 red-flowering Scotch Broom plants, and two peonies that clearly hate me and refuse to thrive. Any takers?
6 comments:
Ok first of all, you may only have made 1.75, but I made 30.00 (-20 for gas to get to your godforsaken place) Seconodly I never said that your garden looked neglected. I merely pointed out a weed or two. And if you remember, You handed me the tool to take out said weeds.
Exageration for art...you sound like my mother.
But I did like that tool.
Oh, and I'll take the poenies and the broom
I think I only made $1.50! I'll need to dig the offending plants up. Actually I really like the Broom but the wind is going to kill it dead one of these winters so I may as well give it to someone who can make it thrive...in the balmy zones of the city. Don't forget to trim it every year!
I am assuming your gardening services come wiht the gift...those not so gentle reminders when I need to do something?
If I were close, I would totally take the broom. I think those are way cool. :) You should have potted up your stragglers and sold them at your yard sale, SMC... :)
Oops, nevermind about the broom. I see that you mentioned it looks straggly in the wind, so it wouldn't be any happier here. lol.
Blackswamp Girl- we shall have to have a conversation on wind. I live in a bowl of mountains that create a microclimate within a microclimate. The wind killed butterfly bush, lavender and wreaks havoc on my golden spirea. All things that I thought were more hardy.
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