The Beauty of Imperfection ~ Never do we realize
this more than in the summer garden. I myself am more of a cottage gardener. I
actually find it easier because I like the idea of guidelines but no set rules.
I have a large perennial garden that each year surprises me in its
imperfections; it never looks exactly the same two years in a row! A plant will
flourish a certain year and the next,
well not so much. With (finally) some measureable rainfall and not so broiling
temps, my phlox paniculata just may flourish this year. Last year I had cut out
half by the beginning of August. Every year it is an imperfect surprise - but
so beautiful. To make it work you
need to be willing to 'give up' on certain plants for the season; cut (down)
out losses so to speak. Garden beds & pots will fill in and flourish for
they are resilient!
The most imperfect of all plants is the
annual 'volunteer'. These serendipitous plants take hold and bloom from seed in
no time at all it seems. Do they grow in the most awkward of spots at times? Hell,
yeah! Do they come in handy when other annuals fail & you need a fill in?
Amen, yes!! Such is the case this year with some of my beloved zinnias that are
being insect eaten, with some bouncing back & others not so much. Volunteer
petunias to the rescue! These volunteers transplant beautifully and in a few
weeks it will be a seamless change.
So I would
be remiss if I failed to mention that our gardens again mimic our lives in many
ways. Today's lesson is that we are fabulous creations of imperfections too!
But, of course, we already knew that. The gardener in us has blessedly allowed
us to step away from our day, our thoughts for minutes or hours at a time. The
gardens we cultivate have shown us that new growth & life is always right
around the next (garden) path for us & we should never stop taking that
walk because imperfection is where
it's at & it is beautiful!
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