Report From An Opinionated Gardener – May 30
One of the great pleasures of gardening is when you stop gardening, take a shower, then sit overlooking the landscape…preferably while sipping a glass of wine. Since I worked all day I only spent an hour planting in my own garden this evening. Nevertheless, I felt satisfied after my Xtreme Lavender Impatiens (grown from seed!) were in the ground, I was clean, and sitting on the deck overlooking Poison Ivy Acres.
Looking over the gardens I couldn’t help but notice which plants showed up best from a distance. Although the field below my deck is filled with blue lupine in full bloom, and several Rhododendrons are flowering, it’s the light colors that are most visible. The light pink rhody stands out, day or evening, while the lavender and dark pink varieties are best appreciated up close.
On the side yard the ‘Summer Snowflake’ Viburnum and my dappled willow tree (Salix ‘Hakuro Nishiki’) are the plants that shine. Note to garden designers: When you or your clients are going to spend time outdoors at the end of the day, be sure to place selections with light-colored flowers and foliage that will be seen from a distance.
This is important to keep in mind for the landscape and for life. How can we plan so that we are able to always see something beautiful, even when we are looking across a great space or gap?