Wednesday, April 11, 2012

ROOM FOR THE COMMON PLACE IN THE GARDEN

SOME time ago in  I mentioned me traditional views  about common place plants in the garden, any garden, here or there, in the original blog, endemismotrasnochado.  

It was not my intention to offend anyjuan then. When I write, I express my thoughts without much restraint, but the truth is that if the reader can not put a distance between my opinions and context, then you/he/she will find plenty to be offended in me neck of the woods or concrete/asphalt to be honest, in  the Caribbean.

A common place is a common place in literature, film or a garden.  It is something everyone knows, has, or believe. If you believe these plants are great, so be it. I do not see anything that particular, except in rare situations. Beside this defect, these common place plants in  Puerto Rico, are some of the original inhabitants in the garden.

Keep in mind the property was built or finished on  January 18, 1940, by one Mr. Cartwright. I doubt very much most of those mentioned were here from the beginning. I assume they were planted in the last twenty years. 


I am not really fond of them, but have some appreciation  and a little affection, for a couple of reasons. They  tolerated indifference and lack of care from the previous owners, in addition have performed well in sandy soil with little nutrients, heat, drought, insects, disease and saline breeze predominant in this eco-region.


One thing I have learned is that any common place/abused plant could become a piece of conversation if planted or relocated to the best spot. Take this Asparagus, if planted on a flat surface at ground level without any height to hang/drop, it will look  silly..

The ones I have kept and propagated are in this pot in the photos with  others in the front of the house where they hang happily after ever.


The ferns are one example. The whole space in this 18" wide 20' long garden was covered by it in the corner. Its looking his best with the increased shade from the vines.


From the original group of plants left around when we moved in, one is not common at all. Gloriosa Rothshildiana, the most important, is an excellent, pretty vertical, small bush. The one found in the south garden had a root canker, discovered after some time under  observation.  All are easy to propagate. There are six now, in the  west and south side.  The leaves are attractive coming out with a bright yellow and slowly turning green.

During my strolls I noticed two other relatives growing near by. One is a dark purple, the other a light green, both variegated with similar flowers.  I was lucky and those propagated from cut stems are growing in the same locations as the original one. Gloriosa is only one of them triplets in  the installation. Sorry,  no photos...at this time.


Common places could improve any garden if you do something to enhance their shape, form, growth habit, with the adequate context. In two of those presented, height does the trick.


Finally, I continue checking other gardening blogs. Fortunately, the ones I care about with critical respect are continually evolving, searching, investigating, the others....in the doldrums of complacency.

that is that

2 comments:

  1. I appreciate how you and a few others show how a few are doing unusual garden treatments with the usual spaces. Real spaces for real people!

    Always a striving, whether agreed upon or not...but hopefully honest, with good motives.

    ReplyDelete
  2. As time goes by, getting older, aware I will not last
    forever, the garden, horticulture, provides some meaning
    to live with a compromise with myself, flora/fauna and those few doing unusual garden treatments and kind enough to share their own work/vocation/views with all, expecting nothing in return.

    Thanks for the feedback.

    ReplyDelete

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