What Works

Lately, I've been trying to evalutate the things that are working best for me in the garden. I've been doing that a lot this year, culling those plants that do not please me and adding more of those that do. For instance, coneflowers are one of those easy care workhorses that I want to use more often. So I added several to the landscaping around the new patio.

I've been getting rid of a lot of plants that just don't work well for me. Either they are too needy, or they only look good for brief periods of time. The neighbors have mostly been the recipients of my garden clean up frenzy, but I also donated some to the Master Gardener projects. To be honest, some simply went into the compost. But the ones left behind have earned their keep, like Endless Summer hydrangea. It blooms over and over again, all summer long.

In the past, I've been known to be a plant collector. That means that every time I saw a new specimen, I had to bring it home. The only problem with that is not knowing where I was going to put it, so it would get stuffed in just anywhere. When you have a lot of single plants, your garden can look messy and cluttered. Repeating elements give you cohesion, so I'm trying harder to use that theory. Out went a lot of "singles". Instead, I'm using more multiples, like sedum Angelina. I have this stuff everywhere! It takes full sun, with no extra water needed and even though it's a lovely spring green all summer, it really shines in winter, turning red and orange.

I also find room for those plants that like to multiply themselves without being pests. It's always nice to get free plants, but if the price is that they take over your garden, well, it's not worth it. Nigella is an annual that acts like a perennial. It will continue to drop seeds nearby as long as you give it a little bare dirt.

In order to put in the new patio, we had to remove a very old and large butterfly bush. There was just no way to save it, as it was so huge we had to take an axe to it. But I can't do without a butterfly bush, so it was the first item added to the new garden. It may not look like much now, but I have faith.

Here are a few more plants that I can depend on, phlox David,

Moonshine yarrow,

geranium Johnson Blue,

and lots and lots of coleus.

Because making my garden easier, gives me more time to enjoy it's visitors.