My Epiphany!

I work at the University of Pittsburgh (by the way - the picture is not from Pitt - it's just something I found on the internet to illustrate my story). I ride to work everyday - one hour each way. Most of the time my head is buried in a book, somewhere in my own world. But every now and then, I stop to re-enter the world around me. I typically notice the landscaping of other people's homes, neighborhood gardens, and institutional landscaping. A lot of times, I pick up good ideas. I also realize what I do not want to do.

One example is the law office that is across the street from where I work. They have three beds, approximately 100-150 square feet. A couple of weeks ago they were beautiful. They were filled with tulips. Then one weekend after some rains, all the tulip flowers were destroyed. Soon after all the tulip plants were cut off, covered with mulch, and the beds were made to look like there never were tulips at all.

I was in a state of shock! First, let's give kudos to the landscapers for being punctual in keeping the place looking good. Second, no doubt the law office likes a well manicured flower bed. BUT THE TULIPS WERE TREATED LIKE POPCORN! They were planted. Made to pop. Then tossed.

Tulips like all bulb flowers, after the flowers have died off, need about six weeks of sunshine, air, and water to re-generate their bulbs for next year. My guess is that the landscapers will just replant new bulbs this fall in preparation for next spring. Yea, yea, yea. I'm sure it was just an economic decision.

This insignificant experience produced a real epiphany for me. I now realize some gardening principles that have laid dormant in me for a long time.

I like building self-sustaining gardens that require the minimum amount of maintenance. At the same time my garden should have a dynamic transformation from season to season. I like to see plants traverse a whole life cycle. For perennials and bulbs, they should awaken out of their dormancy in spring - blossom to full beauty in the summer - begin to change color in the fall - and hibernate for the winter.

What I saw in those beds in front of the law office was too man-made and seemed unnatural. I think what I like seeing is the cycle of life for a single plant as well as a whole garden.

So what do my tulips and daffodils look like now that it is the middle of May and the beautiful blossoms are long gone? Like this. . .