Diana C. Kirby

Sorry I’ve been AWOL for a while. Between a root canal and a miserable cold, I haven’t even had the will to blog or surf for about a week, but I am glad to report that I’m mostly well and back at the keyboard!

More than one garden author has speculated about the inherent masochistic tendencies of most gardeners. And when they write about us beating our heads against the wall repeatedly, and even with fervor, I have to laugh out loud — at myself.

That’s me. I’m a control freak. There — I said it! Seriously, it’s a problem. And it seems so ironic to me that I would take such delight in a hobby over which I clearly have such little control. Maybe it’s nature’s way of trying to balance me out — a higher power sending me a message, if you will.

But I keep at it, in spite of the fact that I know in my heart, that whatever “success” I might enjoy, I’m really, ultimately, not responsible for it!

So, today, I share with you some of my little garden reminders that “I am NOT in charge!”

The first photo above is the lovely, but unwanted trumpet vine that keeps trying to insinuate itself in many, many places that it is NOT wanted and was NOT planted!

This is the Crossvine, winding its way up into the oak trees, and not, all along the right side of the wrought iron fence, as I intended!
On the other side of the Crossvine, we find the beautiful, but precocious Wisteria, who was supposed to grow LEFT along the wood fence, but now, instead, has chosen to chase the Crossvine down the iron fence. Silly girl!
This is an unidentified salvia, planted by the previous owner. I foolishly thought I had eradicated it from its inappropriate location 3 years ago, only to find it back in full force this Spring. I’ve moved some of it to a better spot where it can grow wild and rampant, but I’m sure that it will DIE there because I planted it!
This is a grape vine that my neighbor gave me and I unitentionally killed last fall. And I have no good place to plant it, but it’s alive and begging me for help.
These are morning glories that have come back from last year. However, they waited until I bought new morning glories in a 1 gallon pot and planted them in the same place!
This is a cypress vine that took over the fence and the plants and the air conditioner and everything in sight last year, not JUST the fence by which they were lovingly planted. I’m systematically ripping these new shoots out the minute I see them now! I did plant 2 in a pot to try to contain them. Wonder how that will work out for me? Wanna guess?!!
And, this is a lovely and healthy New Gold Lantana that was NOT planted in this spot that invades the patio by several feet by mid summer. Just don’t have the heart to rip it out of there.

So. I’m not in charge. Enough said.