I loved this post! I laughed out loud at the opening line (though I feel for you and your disappointment at discovering your garden had not progressed as you'd hoped).
Your optimism and commitment to your cause (as well as aesthetics) is inspiring as always.
A subscriber emailed: I enjoyed reading your column this week. Sorry that you didn’t have much success with some of your perennials, this year had unusual rainfall patterns that are becoming the norm, unfortunately. Our part of the state had a very wet March, then record-breaking dry weather that lasted until mid-August. Normally it is dry April-Junish, then we get regular afternoon thunderstorms or a good soaking from tropical systems. Both were in short supply until late summer. I even lost some herbaceous plants that were planted in the fall, just super dry! Our part of Alachua Co has very sandy soil, obviously so does Cedar Key. I’ve found that without supplemental watering for at least 6 months and good mulch, it is hard to establish woodies and perennials under these conditions, especially those planted in the spring. Try again now, fall plantings do much better here with less heat and stress on the plants, plus you can monitor them through the winter.
thank you for the “sleep creep and leap” phrase. reading this gives me patience and forgiveness and a lot of curiosity for what will come next year. so glad to be a paid subscriber!
Thanks so much for sharing these ups and -- especially -- the downs. Since I spend so much time talking and writing about this stuff, I'm impatient with imperfections and time delays in my landscape. My primary native garden beds are in the very awkward sleep and creep phase. The whole thing is like an extended what-I-expected/what-I-got meme. So it's helpful to be reminded that it's all part of the process and failure is a "learning opportunity"! (I think it's Larry Weaner who says something to the effect of, "You never really understand a plant until you've killed it three times.)
I loved this post! I laughed out loud at the opening line (though I feel for you and your disappointment at discovering your garden had not progressed as you'd hoped).
Your optimism and commitment to your cause (as well as aesthetics) is inspiring as always.
xo
Thank you so much, Eva!
A subscriber emailed: I enjoyed reading your column this week. Sorry that you didn’t have much success with some of your perennials, this year had unusual rainfall patterns that are becoming the norm, unfortunately. Our part of the state had a very wet March, then record-breaking dry weather that lasted until mid-August. Normally it is dry April-Junish, then we get regular afternoon thunderstorms or a good soaking from tropical systems. Both were in short supply until late summer. I even lost some herbaceous plants that were planted in the fall, just super dry! Our part of Alachua Co has very sandy soil, obviously so does Cedar Key. I’ve found that without supplemental watering for at least 6 months and good mulch, it is hard to establish woodies and perennials under these conditions, especially those planted in the spring. Try again now, fall plantings do much better here with less heat and stress on the plants, plus you can monitor them through the winter.
thank you for the “sleep creep and leap” phrase. reading this gives me patience and forgiveness and a lot of curiosity for what will come next year. so glad to be a paid subscriber!
Thank you so much for your encouragement and support, Lisette!
Thanks so much for sharing these ups and -- especially -- the downs. Since I spend so much time talking and writing about this stuff, I'm impatient with imperfections and time delays in my landscape. My primary native garden beds are in the very awkward sleep and creep phase. The whole thing is like an extended what-I-expected/what-I-got meme. So it's helpful to be reminded that it's all part of the process and failure is a "learning opportunity"! (I think it's Larry Weaner who says something to the effect of, "You never really understand a plant until you've killed it three times.)
Thanks, Lolly, for more confirmation that I am not alone!