Taking stock – a late summer review

The weather-person in Atlanta said the other day that being outside was like walking into a dog’s mouth. Heat and humidity are taking their toll both on humans and the garden. It’s a great way, though, to separate the men from the boys, the women from the girls, the survivors from the victims.

I have to give pink (and an occasionally white) phlox the highest marks. This has been in bloom for about 7 weeks now and still looks good. It is native and spreads easily. Some may call it an aggressive grower but because it’s native and really doesn’t choke out other plants, I just call it “an enthusiastic grower.” Not only does it look good for a long time period, it’s also an excellent cut flower and pollinator plant. The butterflies just phlox (oh sorry, flock) to it! It WAY outperformed bee balm, which only bloomed for a few weeks and never attained the brilliance that I’ve had in years past.

Black-eyed Susan used to be a no-brainer for my garden and I have extolled its virtues many times. And it still is one of my favorite summer standards. But this year, small black glossy bugs ate all the buds! off the plants in the back. The front yard “Susans” seemed untouched. I carefully shook off as many as I could and sprayed the plants with insecticidal soap a couple of times, all of which I think had little effect. I also clipped off all the mostly eaten buds and hoped that they would survive and maybe even bloom again, which they did! Not as prolifically and beautifully as other clumps, but I do have a nice smattering of flowers now.

I usually plant a long row of something along the street in the front. I like to put in white flowers since I have such a cacophony of colors that appear at various times in the garden. I’ve tried all kinds of things including petunias and vinca but have found that pentas (which are white-ish) not only survive but look the best for the longest time – going on 4 months now.

Even though it gets HUGE every year without a tremendous number of flowers, I always make room for blue salvia in the front because of the hummingbirds. It is truly better than a hummingbird feeder and I can sit and watch the little creatures dive and flit and fly and occasionally fight one another over a particularly tasty blossom.

There are definitely empty spaces in the garden as things wax and wane and It takes tremendous self control to not fill up those spaces with something stunning and colorful and impressive. But I’m trying to learn patience and just give things room to grow and develop and bloom. It’s much like when I started playing the piano again after taking a few decades off. It was really difficult for me to give the rest notes their full count. I wanted to fill every moment with beautiful sound. But I learned that music – and the garden – is not just about the notes and the flowers but about the empty spaces in between, which give you a place and a time to breathe and appreciate .

So………I’m…………trying……….to…………..leave………………..more……………………….empty………………………..spaces…………………………in……………………my……………………life.

Happy Gardening!