Free-Spirit Gardening...Is It For You?

My Free-Spirited Garden

The other day I stumbled across a book in my library that I had forgotten about. It's the free-spirited GARDEN: Gorgeous Gardens That Flourish Naturally, by Susan McClure. Funny how books appeal to me differently from time to time, depending on where I am at the moment. This one jumped right out at me as I realized that this is pretty much how I garden. Susan describes a free-spirited garden as, ...a carefree blend of flowers, herbs, and vegetables that reproduce themselves, arise impromptu from seeds, or spread into bold masses and drifts. She goes on to say that, "free-spirited plants multiply without need for your help or money, they fit perfectly into modern lifestyles."

So, I take a mental look at my gardens. Now, is this free-spirited.... or are these invasive plants run amok?? She does a good job of defining the difference, but I'm not sure... where do you draw the line? Susan explains that "among the exuberant free-spirited plants are tyrants..." One of the examples she uses is spearmint. It's all how willing we are to manage the "more rambunctious free-spirited plants."

This is an enjoyable and informative book with glossaries and photos scattered throughout. I recognized many of the free-spirited perennials in my gardens: Common yarrow, Bugleweed, Clustered Bellflower, Snow-in-Summer, Plumbago, Creeping Jenny, etc. Most of all, it gives me permission to defend my kind of gardening. I tend to let things creep and leap, but I also keep an eye on them. And when they get to the point that they are, in my opinion, getting out of hand, or taking up too much of their neighbor's space, I "rearrange" them.

That's just what I did yesterday. I grew tired of looking at several plants that were too leggy and covering up a nice little Blue Mist Spirea that was beginning to grow. I cut back and yanked out a lot of stuff and instantly felt better. But it was funny. I found myself having this conversation with my plants:

(Me) Okay you guys, you've outgrown your limits and as much as I hate to I'm cutting you back and getting you more under control. Consider this tough love.

(Plant) Suurrrre, when you didn't have anything growing here you thought we were just fine! It was okay for us to spread all over that empty space where you needed something green. Now that you have some fancy new plants you are cutting us back. That's gratitude for you! We feel soooo used. Humphh!!

(Me) No, no, no. I really do appreciate what you have done for the garden. You were there for me when I needed you and I want you to know that I really do acknowledge how beautiful you have been. Look how pretty you will look with your new neighbors and your new hair cut.

I must say I ususally feel a little guilty, but it did need to be done. I see many Free-Spirited gardens on the garden blogs I read. I think most of us gardeners are just free-spirited people anyway.