Heart of the Garden

I lied. There are 16…

1. Ground covers are everything
   
2. Think in terms of layers: tree, shrub, ground
   
3. It’s helpful to have multiple nutrient cycling centers and a processing center to put cuttings even if you don’t intend to make proper compost out of it
   
4. Do the Chelsea chop in late May to make your perennials hardier
   
5. If you don’t have the time or money for a huge remediation of invasives, let vigorous natives fight them off for you: hayscented fern, chocolate white snakeroot, goldenrod, golden ragwort–they all have built-in boxing gloves and they love you and don’t want to see you get overwhelmed

6. Gardening is tragedy plus time

7. Choose annuals that will self seed

8. You make suggestions, nature makes decisions

9. Your garden frames moments: garden with your feeling

10. If you don’t like being a gardener-on-display like a mannequin in a shop window, then, by all means, bring the things that need maintenance to the back or side or balcony! You’re supposed to like gardening, not dread it.

11. Think long term: it takes three years for things to knit together

12. Put labels on everything. I have a million plants with the cultivar name “Outta the potta forgotta”🤓

13. Starting things from seed can be tricky

14. The more you learn about gardening, the more beauty you begin to see around you

15. Gardeners learn so much more from “failures” than triumphs

16. Everything is ephemeral