Too little space, too many blobs? How to look at your garden with fresh eyes

Sometimes you just can’t see the forest through the trees. As I studied my garden with growing dissatisfaction, I knew it was way overdue for some serious editing, but for the life of me I just couldn’t put my finger on exactly what was bugging me. I thought it looked uptight and needed loosening up. Maybe a new influx of perennials would do improve it. And give me a break….. that bubblegum pink rose in the photo below just doesn’t know when to shut up. Honestly, I felt overwhelmed just looking at it.

As a garden consultant, I’m pretty good at giving other people advice, but in my own garden, it’s hard to be objective. It took brutal honesty from a trusted gardening friend to set me straight.

I was about ready to ditch that innocent rose when my friend Nellie Gardner showed up. I pointed to it and asked her what she thought. She was got right to the point. “That’s not your problem,” she told me, you’re focusing on the plants rather than the design. There are too many big blobs in such a small space.” As soon as she said it, the lights went on. It was true, the problem was more about the shapes the plants had grown into.

I didn’t start out with big blobs, but over time, gardens need editing, and it creeps up on you. Shrubs outgrow their spaces, areas need to be reworked or some of the plants don’t cut it any more. Another set of eyes was just what I needed.

As we critiqued the blobs, I took photos so I could refer back to them later. As you can see below, the Baptisias on either side of the walk are way out of scale. It’s an excellent perennial, but has gotten way out of hand. I could divide them, but they’re always going to want more space than I have here. If I take them out I’ll have room for something less rambunctious.

Years ago, I plunked these hostas into the middle of this bed because I had nothing better to put in the space. Boring and clunky. Surely I can add something more exciting. No problem, I have plenty of other places to stash hostas.

I originally planted Spirea ‘Gold Mound’ into this bed because I wanted more structural plants and less weeding. Now they’re taking up way too much real estate. Time to plant something more interesting.

It’s funny how you can become immune to things you see every day. Until Nellie pointed out this spot, I was in denial about how much these hydrangeas encroached on the front entrance. I would have advised anyone else to prune them back severely so they could be maintained a lower height. Ditto for that monster Chamaecyparis ‘Blue Feathers’ on the other side of the door. I may even take it out. And yes, I think the spireas have had their day.

The ditzy little bed of shrubs and perennials on the right would look better if I enlarged it and got rid of that weird piece of grass. I think I’ll connect it to the other bed. Maybe I can move those gold spireas over here. Possibly those hostas or the baptisias.

Now that I’ve got a plan, reworking the garden isn’t nearly as daunting. I can even gear myself up for a massive digging fest and finding new homes for the plants I want to move. The list for new plants is growing, but I guess the pink rose is safe for now.

There’s nothing like another pair of eyes to set you on the right path. Reach out to me here if you need a little help your fall projects. As I said, I’m much better at giving other people advice!