One Garden - Two Pairs of Eyes
"Can't believe what?" I asked, with some trepidation.
"I can't believe how lush and beautiful everything is. It's wonderful!"
I pondered that for a moment.
"Are you sure you were looking at OUR garden?"
The garden that I had toured an hour or so before was one filled with work to be done and plants that appeared to need first aid. So we went back outside to take a tour together and see if we couldn't straighten things out.
We start at the new woodland garden. The first thing I see, which breaks my heart, is the 'Forest Pansy' redbud tree that I had pampered all summer after burrowing creatures ate half of its root system. It leafed out hopefully, but now appears to be dead. The long line of Hemerocallis fulva is done blooming, leaving behind a long line of browning foliage and dead, woody scapes.
Despite diligent attacks with a hoe the garlic mustard and greater celandine are coming up in greater numbers than ever. And one of the rhododendrons I planted has curled up and died to keep the poor redbud company in whatever place dead plants go.
What does he see? Well, apparently he has mastered my own trick of squinting - seeing the potential of something rather than its reality. He sees the way the rhododendrons, hosta and astilbe are swooping around to create a natural pathway into the heavier woods. He marvels at the vigor of the new foxgloves and hostas that were planted a month or so ago, and rejoices at all the light now entering the area where we have been slowly cutting down the seedling and weed trees.
I can't even imagine anything good that he could say about the next area, where my heirloom roses grow. Despite a hard cutting back in spring they have outgrown the bed - as did a Clematis virginiana, rambling rampantly through the roses like a leafy hairnet. I can't tell where one plant ends and another one begins.
He sees abundant life and health - and is fascinated by the rose hips that lend color to an otherwise green display. And he spots two bushes buried in the overgrowth that are flowering. To him, cutting it back next spring will solve all problems - and for now he is grateful that all the plants are so happy.
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