by Anna Ribbeck

Gardens were never meant to be static. They are works in progress, fabulous collections of hits and misses, triumphs and disappointments! Gardens and disasters go hand in hand. If you see failure, just remember—success is just one season away!

Our northshore has been blessed by beautiful spring weather this year. We deserve it, after the pounding we took at the end of last summer. Anyone here today knows the time and devotion it takes to smooth out the fury Nature leaves behind in one of her storms. Nature, however, seems to have a sense of humor, and this spring we have many opportunities to delight in her capacity to surprise!

As we wander around the garden, how delightful to find our very own “survivors.” Trilliums that were forgotten in the past are now a welcome burst of texture beneath some of the remaining shade trees. They are lovers of shady, moist soil. Look for a cluster of three leaves topped with a white or red flower in the shape of a triangle. Take care not to disturb them as you put new plantings in your freshly turned garden soil. Folklore says, “Where trilliums grow, a ginseng will as well!”

The next surprise may be a group of four o’clocks that reseeded themselves and now have an opportunity to burst forth in new sunlight. Remember that the thinning of tree limbs has provided your little piece of nature with new sources of light. Butterfly ginger also enjoys the sun, but loves the earth to be moist, as well. Try a butterfly bush in some of your newly opened areas.

Not only will color abound, but you will bring the dancing wings in and out all day long! If the sunny area is dry, lantana would be a good choice. Many new varieties and colors are available—red, lavender, pink, white and, of course, the favorite, yellow. These are wonderful, easy-to-grow, ever-blooming plants that will survive through our mild winters. Water sparingly, but do put on a good top coat of mulch to keep the roots cool in the heat of the summer. They will need trimming in the fall, but remember the cuttings will root and can make excellent container plants over the winter in a sunny window.

Keeping the butterflies in mind, you might also be surprised at the reappearance of last year’s vinca and butterfly weed. The vinca minor is an excellent ground cover and will tolerate almost any condition. More light during the day means more flowers. More flowers equal more flutterers! If you need height, why not try a bed of zinnias, pentas or even fennel?

Fennel is an herb and can be used in salads and cooking. It has amazing cluster blooms, golden in color, and bright green foliage. The nicest surprise from a garden of fennel is the wonderful scent. Pentas come in a variety of colors. Each little flower will have five petals (thus the name), but the flowers grow in little clusters. Their overall effect can be as beautiful as a rose garden, and they will attract hummingbirds, as well as butterflies. They come in different heights and also do well in containers, if you use the shorter varieties. Next year, they will come back and surprise you again.

Bulbs are always a delightful surprise in the garden, and surely you will find many underfoot this year. Because they live beneath the soil most of the time, they are amazingly resilient. Although this is not quite the right time to plant most bulbs, you might be pleased to find some you planted last fall.

Look for agapanthus, hidden lily, clivia, gloriosa lily, Siberian iris, oxalis and maybe even tropical crocus. These are all beautiful and colorful additions to the garden that will flower into the later parts of the summer. Some are rare; others that grow wild in the woodlands, such as oxalis, make an excellent ground cover. Spring bulbs should all be finished now, and their residual foliage just looks like an ugly surprise. Remove it to the compost heap.

If you really love dahlias, give them a try. They bloom abundantly all summer. Larger varieties will need support or staking—maybe plant along a sunny fence line for a colorful effect. While they are tubers that can stay in the ground all winter, make sure their spot is dry and well lit. They are susceptible to disease and pests, so be ready to spend a little time tending the dahlia garden!

As always, remember that a visit to your local nursery is always a good idea when problems arise in the garden. It is also the best way to find new specimens or get advice on what to plant, when to plant and how to take care of it. Visiting a botanical garden in your area is also a way to get new ideas or just enjoy the beauty of a well-tended garden. Even the best-groomed gardens are probably enjoying the surprise of “bouncing back” this year. Don’t sweat the things you can’t change in your garden. Rather, find a way to enjoy the amazing surprises that can change you. “Bouncing back” may just be the finest lesson Nature has to offer!