Border Dahlia
When people visit my garden.
They often ask 2 questions.
The first
“How much time do you spend here?”
The answer is simple.
Not as much as I like.
Tall Garden Phlox
The last few summers have been well…hot!
Which means that my long summer Saturdays in the garden
Have been more like mornings and evenings.
But the truth is my garden does not require endless hours of work.
And because I enjoy it…it doesn’t seem like work at all.
I’ve also changed my expectations.
Endless hours outside just don’t seem to happen
So I do a bit here and a bit there.
It’s amazing how much can happen in a few minutes.
So I focus on weeding and deadheading in small areas.
Peg helps?
Which brings me to the second question.
“Where are the weeds?’
Once again the answer is simple.
Everywhere!
You just don’t notice them.
So how does this work.
There are two things that I’ve accidentally discovered
To keep the weeds away.
I’ve never planted according to instructions.
I almost always plant too close together.
Way to close together.
The pleasing results of overplanting
Which means the plants shade out the weeds.
Or simply don’t leave room for them to grow.
Granted it’s a little crowded
And some plants don’t have room to reach their full glory
But, for me, it works.
The second thing is those wonderful self-seeding annuals.
It begins with Larkspur in the early spring.
And ends with cockscomb from now till it freezes in the fall.
Throw in the zinnia and cosmos that I plant each year
And my garden is filled with “filler flowers”.
Zinnias & Cockscomb – “Filler Flowers”
Which is better than “filler weeds”!
The truth is that lately I’ve been pulling up as many baby cockscomb plants
As I have weeds.
So you might think of it as a friendly weed
That blooms nicely.
And is great in arrangements.
“Filler Flower” arrangements
I’m really trying to keep it out of the very front of my garden this year.
So, I guess it turns out that what some consider to be garden problems.
Are really just how you look at it.
Much like life!
Gail
In My Garden 