Distancing in the garden – plants, not people

The first time I heard it, way back a lifetime ago in March, I thought “social distancing” was a clever phrase, little did I know that it was going to become a way of life. But all this talk about keeping a healthy and respectful distance from each other has made me look at my garden in a whole new way.

Now when I look at some of my garden beds, I want to shout – spread out! Please, distance yourselves! oh, if they only would do it themselves. But of course the plants are only where I put them and where they could grow from there. The problem is, I have VERY happy plants and this year thanks to luck and the forces of nature, my plants have gone crazy and leapt the bounds of good social distancing.

Even though I know it’s best for all involved, creating distance in the garden is often hard to do. Lenten rose, for example, has multiplied so much that the roots are entwined like knots. To separate them, I’m literally cutting as much as I can and pulling with all my strength (who needs to go to the gym?) So I have dug up, divided, given away, thrown away and finally composted many of my perennials this year, just to provide them with breathing room and space to thrive.

But it’s not just the old, established plants that need space. When you plant things from seed, the instructions are to thin the seedlings (usually) 6 inches apart and I hate doing that! I’m just supposed to pluck out these tiny little beautiful plants that I’ve cared for and nurtured for weeks and put them on the compost pile? Oh, life is so cruel. But I know that if I don’t, none of the plants will have enough space and nutrients to grow into sturdy, happy, productive plants. So, I do. It’s tough love in the garden.

So, I’ve been tough this year and provided lots of space between my plants so that they’ll be happy. But of course, nature abhors a vacuum and gardeners hate it even worse. So now, when I look at all those beautiful, empty spaces in the garden, all I can think about is what I can plant in them to fill them up!