About this time in the summer of every year I find myself reflecting on the plants that have done well in the garden. It is by no means the end of the gardening season as that can continue for several more months. But as I weed and water the flower beds, I can’t help but notice what did well and what is “failing to thrive.”
This is a nicer way, to my mind, of saying they aren’t doing well. For whatever reason – too much sun, not enough sun, too much rain, not enough rain, too many slugs, not enough fertilizer – some plants have just not thrived. Since we live in such a mild climate with lots of rain, almost everything should – please pardon the expression – grow like a weed.
But try as I might, there are plants that I can’t get to mature. Take Delphiniums for example. I know they like a lot of sun and I can’t promise that each year. But I did try them in one of the sunniest spots in my yard and they failed to thrive. How can my “English-cottage-garden-by-the-sea” be authentic without Delphiniums? Well, I found that Aconitum (monkshood) does great here. All parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested, so to protect the grandchildren and pets, I just have to place it away from the path and behind other substantial plants. And Aconitum grow well in light shade, so they fit perfectly into my garden scheme. The only color I have been able to find is a beautiful cobalt blue, but that’s fine as it fits well in the garden’s overall scheme, too.
Calicarpa (beautyberry) is another plant I have tried to grow for years. This should be a nice, full, large shrub that produces wonderful bright purple berries forming in clusters around the stems. Mine, however, just produce stems… no berries, which is the purpose of having the plant. Mine is over five years old now and I have tried moving it into more sun (and less sun) to no avail. Fertilizing doesn’t seem to help, nor does pleading and begging. I promised myself this would be the last season for it if there were no berries, so - as there is nothing showing yet - it looks like I have to pull it out in the fall. There is no substitute plant that would satisfy my criteria, so I will have to be content to enjoy the one our daughter-in-law has grown. It is by far the most beautiful Calicarpa I have ever seen and I consider myself lucky to be able to enjoy Rebecca’s when I go to Portland. Actually, it pleases me to see hers doing so well as I know she feels herself to be an average gardener and this is not at all true; she grows fabulous vegetables and flowers. Ah, but she also has heat, something rather rare in Barview.
I have a friend who has grown a giant Boston fern in her home, and has had it for many years. Shirley has repeatedly tried to give me a cutting from it as it has grown too large for the space she has. I have to turn her down as I know from past experience I would only kill it. And not only kill it, but let it die a slow and painful death. It’s not for lack of trying as I have attempted to grow at least six when I was first married and killed them all in rapid succession. I have often thought there might be some chemical in my body that acts as poison to these lovely plants, for who can’t grow a Boston fern? But I have lots of lovely ferns in the gardens that do great and I enjoy them.
Rudbeckia are another group of plants that fail to thrive. Try as I might, when I purchase one of these perennials - no matter the variety- it lasts for a season, never to be seen again. Again, a sun-lover that just isn't happy in my sun.
< Rudbeckia 'Cherokee Sunset'
This is not to say I have problems with all my plants. The hostas - even the new ones - are doing great despite the slugs, and the Astilbe are beautiful this year.
But like so many other things in life, we want most what we can’t have. That’s just human nature.
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