President’s Message
I think the pandemonium of spring has subsided, and the steady rhythm of summer has finally arrived. I love the fast pace of May and June, but frankly I am exhausted. I look forward to being able to take a deep breath and spending a little more time thinking instead of reacting.
Recently the opportunity to reconnect with a client I had not seen for at least 7 years came along. They contacted me as their garden had become an out of control nightmare after being invaded by native Equisetum and a few other uninvited visitors. They were hoping there would be a solution to eradicating it and returning the beds to their former self. Upon arriving and engaging in the normal social pleasantries and catching up on what was new in our lives we stepped out into the gardens.
It was rewarding to see how the young trees had grown to do exactly what they were intended to do: screen the neighboring homes. The mixed plantings around the patio provided a broad palette of color and texture as well as a buffet for pollinators. When we descended into the back I could see the magnitude of the problem. The Equisetum has not just invaded the plantings, it had literally taken them over and become the predominant inhabitant. The interesting thing was that while they saw this as terrible problem, I saw it as an unexpected opportunity. This Equisetum was only 8-10” tall, flowing as if it were waves in a lake. It had become a lovely groundcover, much like a dense planting of Carex of Liriope. The problem was the rest of the uninvited guests that had appeared in the beds overshadowed the desirable plants, creating a hot mess that looked like it needed one pruning cut, at ground level.
As we talked about the situation I explained it was apparent there was no point attempting eradication. Instead, we should embrace what is working in this continuously damp soil, remove the other undesired plants, uncover what we choose to keep and step back to see what we are left to work with. Sometimes we need to change direction and make new plans. That is not always a bad thing. We don’t know where this plant came from or why it showed up. What we do know is that it is extremely happy and flourishing without any work on their part.
I am very excited to return next week with a crew of hardworking gentlemen to tackle this project. Trees will be pruned to improve their appearance and remove deadwood. The beds will have new, fresh edges, unwanted plants will be removed to reveal hidden shrubs, grasses and perennials will no doubt need some love and attention, and the rest of the gardens will receive detailing to give this property a fresh and tended-to appearance. This will be an example of what I call ‘Design by Subtraction.’ Designing a space by removing as much or more than adding. It’s a purging of what is no longer needed or maybe never was, a bit of outdoor closet cleaning.
Many of us find that a periodic purge is healthy for the soul. Whether it is cleaning out your files, your refrigerator, the garage, your client list of those that cost you more than profit your business, or just the cobwebs in your brain, I hope you find some time this summer to enjoy a little of the beauty we are bringing to others, stumble upon something unexpected that will inspire you and that you reconnect with someone you have not seen for quite some time. Many of us will be gathering at Great Plains Nursery in Weston on August 17 for the Great Plains Summer Field Day. I will be there to check off at least one of those items on the list, hope to see you there, too.
Marti Neely, APLD, NCN
NNLA President 2017-2018