I’M ON A LATE SUMMER CAMPAIGN to add some new plants to my small garden outside my hilltop loft. Frankly, I had let the garden go for a couple years and Mother Nature unquestionably took it back by first delivering fibrous tree roots and further expressed her plan with an onslaught of assorted invasive plants - Golden rod seems to be the most dominant of the interlopers. Attracting butterflies was my justification for letting them remain, but frankly, they did not bring in the little winged-critters as I had hoped.
So, it is time to redo the 10 by 15 foot triangular-shaped garden that I wrote about in my first book. My friend Peg’s rock is still resting at the center of the garden. It now acts as a nice memorial for me after we lost her to cancer last year. I know she would be thrilled with my updates as we often compared gardening notes and I often kidded her about the size of the rock – it is quite small and did not create the design impact she envisioned.
I will start by moving a remnant small white Phlox that has not fared well struggling with the fibrous maple roots. Each plant tells you where they are the happiest and a change is due for my Phlox to hopefully let it again shine. I will add some peat as I work the sandy soils to help in water retention for all my new plantings.
I also purchased some potted yellow mums and blue asters that I will work into the garden reminding me that late summer and early fall are knocking at my door. Truly, it is my favorite time of the year.
Butterfly weeds have moved into my universe and have become one of my favorite native plants. I offer it's scientific name, Asclepias tuberosa, so there is no confusion on which plant I'm referencing. The orange flowers and late summer seed pods make a remarkable plant in its many stages of growth and they are a favorite of the Monarch butterfly. I have several pods I have collected at my golf course’s garden and will attempt germinating the seeds to see if I can have the same good fortune I did last year when I established many Lupines after gathering and planting their seeds.
I'm happy that I've rolled up my sleeves to tackle this reclamation of my little garden spot. It makes me feel renewed and most appreciative in working with nature right at my doorstep.