We have arrived at the initial stages of the the time of year when I get pissed off at a lot of my gardening brethren. When I say brethren, I mean anyone who has personally planted at least 19 plants within the past 3 years. I didn’t just make up those numbers, they have been carefully curated over time.
Plus I only work in odd numbers as all gardeners should.
My data shows me that this ratio properly identifies what I’ll call the “kind-of-into-it-gardener”. Anything less than that and the term gardener cannot be attached to those fools people. This is a crucial distinction and one I suggest you borrow/steal moving forward.
Here is why I get all sorts of perturbed:
We are nearing the end of summer and with it, the end of the line for so many perennials. They’ve worked their asses off for weeks/months on end. They’ve given us nothing but joy all spring/summer and now they are ready to take a seat, drop their petals and enjoy some much needed down time. All well deserved.
But by no means does that require us to cut them down, clean them up and remove all signs of their existence. I liken that nonsense to those people who chuck their Christmas trees on December 26th or put away the holiday decorations the day after. Take a breath, relax and allow nature to do its thing. If you look at it through the appropriate lens, it is a wondrous thing.
Yes, I openly embrace the fact that I can be a bit obsessive and compulsive and neurotic in my own garden and hypocritical from time to time.
True story interlude: I announced my distaste for sedums earlier this week because they weren’t native enough and didn’t fit into my garden aesthetic here in the Northeast U.S. This afternoon I just bought two Yucca plants for containers on my deck. Hypocrite much?
But one thing I’ve done, or not done I should say, since gardening stole my heart back in the late 90’s, is cut down my perennials. I’ve always left them standing even when my OCD tendencies were telling me to cut, cut, cut. I enjoy them around all fall and winter and implore all of the “make it nice and neat” crowd to do the same. You want reasons why? Here are just some off the top of my head:
- Enjoy the life cycle – from emergence in spring, to peak in summer, to the slow death in fall and dormancy in winter, I love it all. It is how it works in the wild and the way it is supposed to be. Embrace it.
- You’ll remember what is planted where – this is very underrated. No more issues with mistaking a newly emerging perennial as a weed or digging one up accidentally when planting in spring.
- The birds and bugs need it – a place of respite or food source for so many. I like nothing more than watching the finches hit up my coneflowers in winter.
- They look good covered in ice and snow – I’ll take any additional winter interest I can get. And bare garden space is not attractive.
So friends, family, some time acquaintances and strangers, accept the demise of your plants.
Do a lot by doing nothing.
Clean the pruners and stow them away.
Accept a bit of chaos.
Give the bees one last chance to enjoy the Agastache.
Remember how that vivid orange color excited you in mid summer.
Don’t forget that brown is a color.
And thank your Bee Balm for the endless entertainment they provided all summer drawing in all of those bees and butterflies.
QOTD: What perennial do you enjoy most in fall/winter?
