2006_11_01_archive

Gardening Commandment #2?

I'm a neat and tidy sort of person. My Marines used to move my desktop

items around when I stepped out of the office just to giggle at me

readjusting them mere centimeters back to their proper places when I

returned. I initially applied my orderly attitude to gardening. I've

already discussed how unappealing planting in straight lines turned

out to be. I also took a rather anal approach to plant groupings. I

would plant them in a straight line, alternating varieties, creating

orderly patterns of two or three. The results were not categorically

ridiculous, but the patterns usually looked quite artificial.

initially planted six plants along the edge: two each of cardinal

lobelia, red daylilies, and goblin gaillardia. Let's forget for a

moment that the cardinal lobelia abhor a dry, northwestern exposure

and I had to move them and that the gaillardia fried to death in a few

short months. Had all the plants lived, the result would have been

much more appropriate to an amusement park planting than a cottage

garden. The pattern, rather than the overall effect, becomes the

focus. Planting in 3's is recommended, but that doesn't mean to plant

in patterns of three.

been better. Along the front walk, I've planted lamb's ear alternating

with East Friesland sage. Although the lamb's ear needs twice yearly,

savage pruning to keep it from consuming the sage, the result is

pleasing. The orderliness nicely balances the wild jungle of flowers

in the rest of the bed. I've also seen nice results with patterns of

two in other people's yards and at Friendship Park.

Generally, though, I try to avoid patterns of even two, now. The

result is formal, even a bit military, and that's not my style (any

more). In fact, I try to steer other people away from it as well. I

think it is most tempting to create patterns when you are torn between

two or more different plants or varieties. You think, "Well, since I

can't decide, I'll just get an equal number of each and alternate

them!" Don't do it! If you're planting in a line (hedge or edging),

choose one variety only or choose many and don't plant them in a

discernible pattern (mixed hedges). If you aren't planting in a line,

go ahead and get both plants, but plant them each in their own little

blobs (drifts, if you will).

Straight lines and patterns look great in the gardens of Versailles,

but they just appear unimaginative and uptight in anything smaller. I