Memorable Mistakes
Every gardener makes mistakes with their first garden. Mine was getting too few of too many plants. That and a fondness for feathery foliage and dainty flowers. My garden looked like a blurry impressionist painting and not one painted by a master. I still give in to the temptation to grow too many different plants in a small space and if something unexpected pops up, I like to let it grow and see what it becomes.
Needless to say, my garden is in a constant state of revision and I’d be willing to bet many of yours are too. I don’t mind. I enjoy the work. But you do need to have a goal you’re working toward or you’ll wind up repeating the problem and working in circles. The National Garden Bureau offers these suggestions for what they call Re-engineering Your Garden. (I just call it gardening.)
I’ll be doing a talk soon for new gardeners, about common mistakes novices make. The real point of the talk is to let newcomers to the garden know there’s no such thing as a false step in gardening. Every effort is one to build on. There is always a second chance and even third, fourth and so on. I’d love to hear what your most memorable gardening mistake was - those of you who will admit to making mistakes. It goes without saying that all names will be confidential. Gardeners are a sharing lot, be we do have our pride. Use the ‘Comment’ link below to let us know what you wish you had avoided doing.
Comments
Purchasing a tree Lavatera without reading the label, thinking it was the small bush variety and planting it in a small side garden next to my house. Huge tree, Huge mistake.
A little root pruning, a move, and all is now well.
When I started my flower garden, I didn’t pay much attention to how high things were supposed to grow. I had large flowers completely hiding the small flowers. I planted too many things and there was no focal point to the garden. It was kind of a big mess. (But of course, I thought it was beautiful because it was my first garden.)
Another mistake… not realizing some plants are very invasive… like the passion flower vine. It took my a while to dig that one out.
Also, if a package of flowers is labeled “annual”, it might actually be “perennial”, depending on one’s zone. I planted annual flowers (e.g., snapdragons), left them in for the winter, and discovered they are perennials in my area. It was a great discovery!
I came into a mature garden and tried to make my own statement with what I had…. I lost the poppies that the neighbours raved about. but I now have have planted lillies that I hope the original gardener would have liked. I am not sure what I will havem but it is a challenge.
So far, nothing too fatal in my first couple years of playing ‘garden’. I did learn the hard way year that my bent is toward biting off more than I can chew, and that investing in infrastructure (edging, mulch, tools) is necessary, even when what I want to do with that $$ is buy more planties!