It’s funny how the meaning of some words can change over time. In a garden setting, having a “diverse” collection of plants is generally a good thing. One could say that the gardener embraces “diversity”. Likewise, if that same gardener “includes” many different genera in the landscape, you could state that the gardener embraces “inclusivity”. Now, before you get your hackles up, I have no intention of getting into a no-win debate over the merits of these two words as they currently relate to our sorry state of culture wars. This is clearly not the platform for that discussion. It is however, very definitely a proper platform (or should I say “plantform”) to extoll the merits of including a diverse palette of plant material into our landscapes. After all, isn’t variety the spice of life?
In my new garden over the last three years, I have somehow managed to incorporate well over 300 different plants (yes, some are repeats for the sake of cohesion) into the grounds around my house. Some are structural, like the trees and woody shrubs, and the rest are herbaceous perennials that, for the most part, (with the exception of the evergreen ones), wake up in the spring. That’s when they put on new growth, thus filling in and covering the bare ground, bud up and bloom sometime during the season (which could be anywhere from early spring to fall or even winter), often display some degree of fall color, and then go dormant for the winter. All of this coming-and-going keeps my garden in a constant state of flux, which makes it all the more alluring and inviting to explore every day. None of this would be happening if it weren’t for my decision to include a wide variety of plant material to grow.
Now, let me state clearly, I am not a landscape designer and I am surely not a landscape architect. I am a plant nerd that loves to see things grow and has spent a lifetime trying to grow all sorts of plants, not all successfully I might add. That being said, I like to think that I have some eye for composition and have been able to create a garden that is more than just a collection of plants. Beyond the so-called bones of the garden (which can have their own charm), the drifts of perennials, bulbs, and ground covers for the most part manage to coexist peacefully, and if I am lucky, actually complement one another. Often times, these combinations are serendipitous. I have especially enjoyed the dainty, yellow, heart-shaped flowers of my climbing Bleeding Heart weaving their way among the pink flowers of Clematis ‘Comtesse de Bouchaud’. Or the somewhat analogous combination of the blue flowers of Russian Sage leaning gently against the pink globes of Allium ‘Millenium'. On the other hand, I grow weary of reigning in the rambunctious growth of ‘Rosanne’ Hardy Geranium as it endeavors to smother everything in its path. If it weren’t for its nonstop profusion of purple-blue flowers, I would have probably hoed it out by now.
To be sure, garden styles vary and there is always a place for simple designs that are soothing and calming - think of Japanese gardens, if you will. Commercial landscapes tend to be simplistic with massive drifts of single species, as it is more unifying and easier to maintain. But for the home gardener and me in particular, I like to think that incorporating a wide variety of plants enhances not only my personal experience but also the quality of life in and around my neighborhood. It generates good vibes and can actually be contagious. Embrace some “diversity” and “inclusivity” in your garden and see what happens, you might just be surprised!
