What does “overgrown” even mean when discussing a purposely cultivated outdoor space? I understand when things are aggressive, but that’s different. My friend Kathy calls this “plants that like to romp.”
I like romping. I may also like overgrown.
Gardeners in my local Facebook group are now voicing concerns that their gardens are “overgrown.” Are the plants too tall? Too many leaves or flowers? Are they attacking the house?
It all sounds like too much success to me.
But I’m not always a thorough and purposeful gardener. I water and weed along to get along, doing just enough to keep everything green and free of too many illicit incursions by the rompers. That could change, but for now I am simply too busy to spend an inordinate amount of time grooming the garden.
And I weed with a selective eye. “What the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over,” or, if you prefer, “Out of sight, out of mind.”
Earlier in the season, I pulled only the intruders I could see near the front of the beds. I thought I got a lot, but I now see Boltonia asteroides (top) coming up and blooming where it had been hidden by other big perennials or roses. I planted this at one time – years ago – and it seemingly disappeared, but now it seems to have resurrected and strategically spread itself. It couldn’t be more welcome. I’ve deadheaded most of what used to be flowering around it, but now these bright clusters are perking up the whole space, especially combined with white hardy hibiscus, goldenrod and dark purple buddleia, a few of the things still blooming.
And then the Vernonia. Most would call this overgrown and I have to admit it is bursting out of the smallish spot it’s in. In fact, it brushes my car – though not harmfully – every time I pull in and out of the garage. But I wouldn’t cut one strand of it.
My neighbors are unknowingly lending a hand. Determined vegetable growers, they love the cucurbit family and a runaway bitter melon has made its way through the trellis that separates two corners of our adjacent properties. At first I wondered if I had somehow planted a yellow clematis there, but no.
I’m not telling them and hope I get a fruit. Though I think frost will get to it first, Buffalo not being in Southeast Asia. Still, the flowers are pretty.
Zinnias and salvia are essential for September.
Some of these late season bounty is due to inattentive gardening, some of it to purposeful gardening. None of will ever be called overgrown.
Overgrown: Late season rewards for a lazy gardener originally appeared on GardenRant on September 25, 2024.
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