Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Garden Synchronicity

Synchronicity is the simultaneous occurence of two independent events, which seem somehow connected. I am currently fairly awash in garden synchronicity: for several (well, maybe ten) years I've been thinking I ought to cut back on buying new plants... even the casual peruser of this blog probably long ago came to the conclusion that I already have enough different plants for myself, the next door neighbor, and the little girl who lives down the hill. Every year Liz endures stoically, my proclamations that THIS year I'm just not going to order that much, only to see the Fed Ex and U.P.S. trucks in the spring, fighting to get down the driveway first, with more boxes of flowers. Well, this summer I said the same thing, but this time after I said it, I felt like you do when you try on a really great pair of new shoes... it just felt right, so this time it may happen. Now here's the synchronicity part: in the last few weeks the two nurseries that over the years probably supplied me with the most plants (like the Arneson's Ruby azalea pictured above), Heronswood and Roslyn Nurseries, have both announced they are closing. Of course, Liz had to say that they probably heard I was cutting back on buying new plants. Well, I will say that so far, I'm sticking with it... not one new plant has been purchased this summer, so I'm actually catching up on long-neglected maintainance work, rather than wandering about with a shovel wondering where to put yet another tree or bush. There are always glitches, though, in the best-intentioned of plans... our friends Dennis and Jane came over for supper Saturday night, and Dennis surprised me with a gift of a shrub I've been lusting for, the new hydrangea, Forever and Ever Red. If you need me, I'll be out in the garden with a shovel and a shoehorn.Posted by Picasa

Comments:
I am enjoying your posts very much. We're about to buy 4.5 acres of wooded land by a lake in east TN but won't build for 4 years. It is fun to look at your paths and plants and dream (and make notes). Thanks for the effort & time you put into this.
 
Thanks for your feedback. You'll love your new place. If you are going to start a wooded garden, start carefully mapping out your paths, so they meander about interestingly, and make them wider than you think they should be. Also, consider the critters; don't plant your woods full of rhododendrons , and then complain that the deer are eating them... the critters were there first. What I've done works well; fence off an acre, with gates, and leave the rest for the critters... everybody wins.
Don
 
Thanks for your thoughts. I think I want paths 4' wide if we can manage it--so that 2 can walk without brushing against dastardly poison ivy. Your paths are narrower I think. I like the bridge your wife built--we have a small dry gully--I hope you build your rill this year or next so I can get even more ideas from you.
 
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