My wife and I managed to score a few free hours this past Saturday morning before the never ending softball cycle kicked into high gear. We spent it touring a few gardens as part of an organized local garden tour. It was warm and sunny and I was ready to get my booty inspired and steal some ideas from these extravagant and lush gardens.
Spoiler alert: It didn’t happen.
I won’t go into any specifics and call out any particular gardens, but I left the tour completely uninspired. We didn’t spend more than 10 minutes at any of the gardens we visited. I wanted to see “gardens” and all we really saw were exquisitely landscaped properties.
I appreciate a nice bed line as much as the next guy and understand the importance of mulch, but when they become the star attraction, color me bored and uninterested. Listen, I have my share of what is often considered to be a “boring” and landscaper friendly shrub like a spirea, but when they dominate the garden, I’m out. A garden needs a certain level of messiness and a “Wow, what is that plant?” feel in order to pull me in and none of these gardens provided that vibe.
If I had to sum it up in one word, I want my garden to be dynamic. It needs to feel like it has a life of its own, that it changes on a daily basis, that while one perennial is putting on its last flush of blooms, another is ready to take its place. I want movement with the wind. I want flower petals on the ground next to a shrub with flowers that are about to pop. I want to sense that the gardener struggled to pull all it all together and still has work to do.
While I have light years to go to achieve a level of dynamic that is most likely impossible in this lifetime, it is what makes me most proud of my garden today. It is what drives all of my garden design decisions. It is what keeps me up at night. It is the reason I tour the garden each and every morning knowing I’ve going to witness something new. All the mulch in the world can’t compete with two perennials that entwine in a perfect match of contrast and similarity.
With that in mind, my garden as it stands today and how it is acting all dynamic and shit.
The ‘Bowl of Beauty’ peony is still putting out fresh blooms each morning.
But time is quickly running out with these daily reminders.
Even after the blooms have disappeared or faded, the Allium are still lending an incredible visual in tune with the rest of the garden in its path.
It is always around this time each year when the ornamental grasses subtly announce their presence. And when they do, it seems to tie the entire garden together.
Some of the grasses have even begun to reveal their multi colored highlights, even more pronounced covered in raindrops.
My Itea ‘Henry’s Garnet’ are blooming and while we all know they dominate the most in autumn with their garnet fall color, I still think the blooms are underrated.
Back to another question of the day and thank you to all of you who have responded to date. You are providing great info for all of us.
QOTD – What would you consider to be the most dynamic plant in your garden today and why?
Leave a comment with your response.
Grats.
As relates to dynamic, I would have to say my climbing hydrangea. It makes a fabulous backdrop in the garden with its glossy leaves and its creamy flowers in late May-early June are nothing to sneeze at either!!
This hydrangea also harbors many birds through the seasons and I have strategically placed a bird bath and feeding stations nearby.
My perennial bed nearby is also graced with another dynamo: Penstemon ‘Prairie Dusk’.
Sturdy stems and prolific blooms as well as long-lasting.
Must stop myself now!
JMart – one of these years I will figure out a way to incorporate a climbing hydrangea. I am very jealous. I actually killed 3 ‘Prairie Dusk’ in the past but absolutely love them too! You have good taste, ha.
Think I’ll stick with hydrangea also, but forget its name right now. It is an adorable white vine that is covering an ugly tree stump that fell over a few years back. It climbs up one side of the 3-ft high stump and goes all around the 3-ft thick stump every which way. Sweet little flowers will come cover the ugly beast in a couple of months from now, just when I give up on them and think they won’t come to visit this year. Truly, I love all white hydrangeas.
Barbara – I’m clearly missing out on the climbing hydrangeas and need to find something they can climb on so I can give them a whirl. Is it in full sun?
Hmmm, dynamic…well, right now, my swaths of Mexican feather grass positively stop me in my tracks ….esp. during the morning hours when the sun brings alive a mesmerizing shimmer. I positively glory in its luminosity. It seems, in my growing zone, if you have one plant, you will have many the following year and forever after. I’m also quite pleased with the giant blooms of the hydrangea ‘Incrediball’.
By the way, your photos of your peony and allium had me going back for seconds and thirds…and I’ll probably take another look before I leave the site.
Michaele – Love Mexican feather grass and it has been on my “want” list for awhile now. Looks great en masse. Love it!
Wish you lived close by…I could give you as many as you could ever dream of having. I literally take a wide tooth comb to them this time of year to get off as much seed as possible. There is never a lack of babies each spring.
Hmmmm, so would you call it invasive?
It definitely likes to colonize and I could well imagine that if I wasn’t very involved with my garden, it could take over. Gulp, I guess that’s the classic definition of invasive. I don’t feel I’ve ever seen it on a list but I don’t read them closely. We used to live outside of the Boston area and when driving on the interstates up in that area, I couldn’t get over how dominant the plant Purple Loosestrife was in median stretches. It was a seasonal sea of purple. That plant really earned its spot on the list of invasives. But, then again, here in TN, we have the legendary Kudzu.
I’m in love with the scented…viburnum carlesii and korean spice are pleasant surprises in the spring…but, right now? My peonies have almost past their prime… the pinks and burgundy flowers were stand outs next to the grasses. Right now my favs blend in hot shots of color or add a dark hue, and are also scented. Standard lantanas or purple petunias and heliotrope (smell them before you buy as many are bred for their blooms) and the sweet bay magnolia with it’s lemon scented blossoms…often it’s a pleasant surprise. The lantanas and heliotrope attract hummers, butterflies, bees and night moths…later on my nicotina, pineapple sage and cleome will attract the same visitors..these also go well with grasses. Thanks for your comments and photos. It is always a pleasure!
J L – my Vib carlesii kicked butt this spring too but it does go too quickly. Interesting fact – I have very little sense of smell which is a travesty for a gardener. Need to get it fixed ASAP.
The spring phlox, that I can’t take any credit for. Mother Nature has them growing prolifically down the wooded lane leading to my farm. Dynamic!
Bernice – first off, nice meeting you on Saturday, f off PennEast. Lots of phlox here too and I love it!
How have I not discovered your blog before. Currently in love with swaying peach-colored plants: Mrs. R.O. Backhouse Martagon lilies and Eremerus Cleopatra. Nothing worse than a garden tour with no initation to take home!
Thanks so much Linda for finding me! Looked up both suggestions and wow, what a statement they make. You have me considering finding a section of the garden to include such vibrant colors because truth is, I have none of that in my garden today. Thanks so much for the inspiration!