It’s your garden

To leave or not to leave, that is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler to… OK, so I don’t claim to be a poet, especially not of the great bard’s caliber, but similar phrases run through my mind as I tackle yet another new (to me) garden.

I consider myself so fortunate to have the chance to work in all sorts of gardens without having to move house. Some are like blank slates, with nothing planted except perhaps acres of grass. Other times I get to expand and rearrange existing plantings. My most recent project, however, may be my favorite type of challenge. I’ve been working in an already established garden with a wild, country feel. The owner loves to watch things seed themselves around with abandon, and most of what sprouts up is welcome. Over the years, though, certain unwelcome grasses and invasive weeds have become established. Much of the goal in this garden now is to selectively weed out undesirable plants and clean up any dead branches in shrubs and trees while maintaining the wild, natural look.

Where does one begin with a garden that needs attention everywhere at once? I started in the places most visible to passersby and visitors by pruning dead or misshapen wood out of trees and shrubs and quickly pulling unwelcome grasses and weeds. I didn’t worry too much about getting all of the weed roots this time around. As things come under better control I will sweat the details. Right now I’m concentrating on a quick sweep through the garden. Later, the plan is to move seedling shrubs that have grown in awkward places to more suitable spots, and encourage the spread of desirable groundcovers and perennials. Weeds can be more carefully removed as they reappear.

Some of the plants that have seeded themselves in this garden would be considered weeds to many gardeners, but are desirable volunteers to this homeowner. The fun part comes while trying to decide which wildlings to keep, and which to remove. Communication with the homeowner and being able to recognize which plants are what are all important at this stage. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know which wild plants might be desirable and which are not.

In your own home, the rule for this type of selective weeding might be—if it looks good now where it is, leave it. You can always remove it later but you may get a pleasant surprise as it grows. Keep in mind, only you have the right to decide what to keep and what to weed away. A traditional garden designer or landscaper might try to bully the homeowner into clearing away what are often considered weeds, like self-seeded goldenrod and ground ivy, and replanting with the latest designer plants. If this should ever happen to you, remember that it is your garden, and your vision of what a garden should look like. There is no “right” look for a garden except the look that gives you pleasure. No one has the right to talk you into planting or removing anything.

The possible exception might be in the case of dangerous trees or very invasive weeds, in which case an explanation of why they need to be removed should be convincing enough to you that you agree that they shouldn’t remain in place. The job of the garden designer is to listen to your ideas of how you want your garden to look, then to figure out how to achieve it. It is not to impress upon you what they would want in their garden. So if you ever do need help from a professional with plant or design ideas, don’t allow someone to intimidate you into a garden that will “keep up with the Joneses,” unless, of course, that is your personal goal.