Oh my god! What is that?!?!? Empty space? Raw dirt exposed in my garden?!?? NOOOOOOOOO!!
I am not a minimalist gardener. I cannot abide empty real estate. If there is a hole, I long to fill it... in case we haven't noticed. I'm a maximalist by nature...
See that? Gardening is about plants: Nature is the one who concocted the idea of close planting. I like cheek-by-jowl flowers against belly-to-the bar foliage. Close quarters, no room at the inn. Go take a look at how fields are "planted": a dense carpet of plants.
A dense tapestry of color and form and excitement and delight. I am happy when you cannot see the forest for the trees. This year, I am happy to report that except for that aberration in The Blue Garden, I have very few holes yearning to be filled. I guess I've been diligent in "repairing" the spots that aggrieved me in past years. So despite loosing a million seedlings to slugs and weird weather, my garden has looked pretty good all season.
A long time ago, I read a book entitled, "Square Foot Gardening". The author's premise was an inspiration to me. Again, in Nature, plants don't "space" themselves out; the duke it out. I realized this author and I had a lot in common. I have subscribed to this principal ever since. Cram 'em in!
Here's a chock-a-block nasturtium container... who would want to see an acre of exposed potting soil in place of that eruption of foliage and flowers? Craziness! Needless to say, I cannot abide what I call "mulch gardens": those desolate expanses of (often dyed) wood chips with a pathetic clump of flowers... here... and a minute shrub... there and lots and lots of barren waste land in between! Make me crazeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! I am mentally filling it all in!
A corner of the terrace. Although maybe I did go a bit over board with containers this year. There is not a lot of maneuvering room on the terrace. But there IS color!!
*A brief postscript: It has been so insanely hot this summer; REALLY hot. Our computer is in our office. The office has many windows and gets really overheated in the afternoon. It has been absolutely impossible to spend time in there so I have been negligent in posting blogs. I am sure you have all missed me (and my latest birthday!). Fortunately, cooler weather- and heads- are returning!
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