In the Spring of 2011, with the arrival of the squirrel-proof daffodils, tulips, camasia, and allium, and as the plants from 2010 began growing into their own, the flower garden started taking shape. But there was a lot of bare flower bed remaining. Enter Phase 2.
That spring/summer, I planted a couple of real favorites in Garden 2 (G2): Gaura (Belleza Dark Pink) and Euphorbia (Ascot Rainbow). The Gaura bloomed and bloomed all summer — small fuchsia flowers atop waving spikes. The Euphorbia has yellow-green variegated foliage and bubbly “flowers.” It is a joy from very early spring until the autumn. Here is a picture of it in April of this year, with the Crape Myrtle foliage just beginning to emerge in the background.
I added Tickseed (Golden Gain), Salvia (Caradonna), and Gaillardia (Trumpet Red) for more color. Here is what G2 looked like in early June, 2011. (Note that the leaves on the Crape Myrtle have grown in by June). Tall Asters are at the sides by the fence with Montauk Daisy and Asiatic Lilies in front, Porcupine Grass is also along fence toward the center with Euphorbia and small Gaura and Salvia in front, and Crape Myrtle is by the fence post with Gaillardia and Tickseed in front.
By now, you will have discovered that which I fight against, but fail to overcome: I love symmetry. I can’t help it. In each of the flower beds there is a central zone with a central plant, and identical (symmetrical) plants on each side. In G2, the central plant is the Crape Myrtle. I have managed to uproot this tendency very slightly in G1 (and when hanging art on the walls of my house), but I have been more successful inside than out. In the garden, I hope that this love of order, comforting as it may be to me, will be less obvious as everything grows in. Plus, I doubt anyone other than myself will be looking at the garden long enough to notice….
Next: Herb Garden.
Perennial Pastimes 
Leave a Reply