Things nobody ever told me about gardening

Thursday 31 July 2008 - Filed under Gardens + Plants

Some of your favorite, most beautiful plants in the garden are also quite rude. They’re slobs. They make a huge mess, and you have to clean it up. They’re the plant version of my brother-in-law, who leaves a trail of socks and used insulin needles in your car if you give him a ride (Hi, Matt!). I’m willing to suffer for it, because it’s worth it, but bamboo is one of those plants that has me sweeping and raking and picking its cast off leaves throughout the summer.

There are certain plants that make particularly bad neighbors for these slovenly sorts. My hands are tied because of the limited sunny spots in my yard, but my agaves sit close enough to the bamboos to collect the detritus, and their stiff sculptural leaves encourage spiders to weave their webs, and it all gets trapped in an unsightly mess in the middle. Then, on account of the gorgeous spiny margin on the leaves, you can’t pluck the mess out with your hands unless you accept the fact you’re coming away with scratches and the occasional puncture wound. Next thing you know, you are on the internet, sourcing long surgical tweezers to add to your collection of essential garden tools.

2008-07-31  »  megan