Some people count sheep.
Some listen to soft soothing music.
Others drink warm milk.
Me … I analyze an open spot in the garden and determine what I will plant there when I wake up the next day.
I often have a hard time falling asleep at night. And it is completely self induced. In fact, I enjoy the inability to sleep, it is truly a chance to let the brain run it’s course while everyone else is out cold. And here’s the kicker, I drink a half pot of caffeinated coffee every night after the kids are asleep. You say “dumb”, I say “this is where my genius is born”.
Last night was no exception. Here is what I obsessed over while the rest of the world slept:
As you can see in the photos above, I have an open spot behind the Siberian iris, the carex and the dwarf variegated miscanthus. And here is a snapshot of the thoughts that ran through my over-caffeinated cranium:
- Like the amateur designer that you are, why do you have three similarly shaped plants together in the same spot?
- Should I move them now? Or leave until Spring?
- If they stay, you need something evergreen in that spot.
- And something deer resistant.
- And able to handle wet feet at times since the water drains off of the driveway.
- Nothing fits any of that criteria and you’re dumb to stress over it.
- Can’t you make better use of this time to analyze something important?
And if that weren’t enough, here is another site that was ripe for more of my over analysis:
And more rambling sleep deprived thoughts:
- An open prominent spot right next to the garage needs some serious attention.
- Having a single holly, a single arborvitae, a single clethra and a single barberry all together; I’m thinking they do not teach that to wanna be designers.
- With self deprecation now complete, you know you need a massed perennial in that spot, preferably something upright to off set the rounded shape of the nearby shrubs.
- Maybe I can divide more of the Siberian irises … no too late in the season for that.
- Maybe some of my beloved smaller ornamental grasses … nah … need some full season floral interest there.
- Maybe some daylilies … nope … the deer will dine on them.
- Here we go again dumb ass … you’ve created a quandary with no easy solution.
- Can my wife hear me? Am I talking out loud? Am I really this neurotic?
Needless to say, nothing has been resolved even after a long period of analysis. Guess there is always tonight to revisit it again.
Good times indeed!
ONG
You’re hilarious! I was thinking a tall miscanthus (or two) in the second bed you are obsessing over until, that is, you mentioned the need for full season colour. Oh well, I won’t worry about it since you will likely revisit the area again tonight! LOL!
That’s great! I say you are a true task master – using all of your time wisely.
damn deer.
Oh, I LOVE it!! I just wanted to stop by and thank you for visiting and following my blog. I really, really appreciate it! I’m following you back, cheers!!
Glad I am not the only one to lie awake at night guilitily enjoying thinking about the garden… Though I always find I “create” more space than I actually have in reality, a sad disappointment next morning… I don’t know if you grow Kanutia macedonica where you are, but it flowers for months, is much loved by bees and hoverflies, and looks great with the smaller ornamental grasses. Perhaps interspersed with some Allium sphaerocephelum and some iris?
Haha…that’s hilarious…I thought I was the only one who was neurotic enough to do this! Although, for me, it’s the opposite, sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, and just start fixating on all the things I need to change in the garden…what I should move, should I move it now, should I give it another season, etc. It’s good to know I’m not alone!