Every year in early spring I see a deep purple spiky plant growing in the yards of others and I want to have it. I don’t know what it’s called or how much care it needs, so this cyclical yearning is left unrewarded. I look out my bedroom window and see that the previous owner once had a garden there. I imagine colorful small clumps of flowers but never get around to planting any. A couple of years ago I had some native grasses, Gooseneck plants and Sedum planted at the entry of my home. This year I think I need to separate them because they have gotten so dense, but it makes me anxious to think of such a maneuver. Then my daffodils come up and all is well again.
By the time summer arrives my beds are filled with knee-high weeds. My impulse plant shopping has created a chaos of color, height, and texture. I don’t want to spend any more time mulching. I need help. But I’m not looking for an expensive, long-term project or an award-winning display. I want a garden that doesn’t stress me out or demand too much of my time. There are all sorts of names for gardens and the plants who live there, but I just want the good enough garden.
This kind of garden is low-maintenance, colorful with lasting blooms and in harmony with the existing landscape. Such a pursuit may seem frivolous to some, but not to others. From a practical standpoint, any realtor will agree that flowers make a difference. A nicely landscaped house presents well to would-be buyers. Neighbors enjoy gardens and so do butterflies, bees, birds, and dragonflies.
