Please Don't 'Walk' on the Impatiens

Impatiens are a hardy and colorful plant for shady to partial-shady areas of the garden. Considered an annual yet they are very prolific in returning after being frosted back in winter. None have been purposely planted in this garden in many years.

They readily seed themselves into container gardens, in between perennials, they pop up in convenenient locations and some not-so-convenient places. Just like weeds. Albeit pretty weeds.

Frequent readers might recall when I posted this entry a little over a month ago. A month ago it appeared as if the chairs were growing out of the flowers. That's when I belabored my lack of diligence from the spring for pulling out starter seedlings as they sprouted in my tropical pathway.

Here we are just a few weeks later, with some good rainfall on the record books, and the passageway is barely useable. Barely.
I'm sure I've mentioned this tiny little fact already but this area is one of my favorite places in the back yard gardens.

It is the coolness of the shade and the quiet sense of surrounding nature that brings peace and calm as I traverse these paths daily.

It is also the main route to the compost piles and the way-back parts of the garden. So when I initially created it I was sure to leave it WIDE enough for my wheelbarrow.
That's not to say I can't still scoot past the burgeoning impatiens on foot. And when pushing the wheelbarrow there ARE alternate routes to the compost piles. But taking the long way around is the not-so-convenient element about where the impatiens have decided to thrive.

Now that I've taken you the length of the tropical pathway (click here to see how to create) let's turn around and go back out together.

On the way back we should pause together to pay attention to a new Caladium planted this summer. 'Cinderella' is a delicate-looking, almost translucent leaf that is happy in the shade. She's going on my "must-purchase-more-of-these list" for next year. I love everything about her.

Above and behind her there's 'Moonlight' glowing so brightly in the daylight that draws my attention as well. It is good for the soul to pause. In the midst of sweaty tasks of summer pausing to admire inspires me onward.

The return trip back towards the circle garden better portrays how the footpath narrows to nearly impassable due to the growth of those volunteer impatiens.

My question for you ... The impatiens are easily plucked as their root system is shallow. What would you do?
Should they stay or should they go?

Moonlight in the Daylight

Nothing in the summer garden excites me more than when the Caladiums begin to emerge from the ground. Slowly at first and then day by day clumps of them appear fuller and fuller.

Maybe you'd like to join me for a look at some along the tropical pathway. We'll start in the circle garden and round this corner between the potted containers overflowing with coleus, rojo congos, and macho ferns.

Moonlight caladiums are tucked back into a deeply shaded nook of the tropical pathway. The all-white foliage of this variety brightens the background layers behind the Queen Emma Crinum.

Single file past the narrowing passage where volunteer impatiens growing wildly are progressively inching out the foot path.

There are so many neighboring plants crammed into this tropical garden we'll have to squat down underneath those ginormous leaves of the Queen Emma and between the blackberry lilies to get a better view of these beauties.

A look from the other side gives a better view of how they are tightly planted in two tiers. One behind the retaining wall and another at ground level in front of the wall. Both layers curving around to merge with either White Queen caladiums or Miss Muffet caladiums.

Featuring Moonlight this week in celebration of the full moon seems appropriate. These lovely large, fancy leaf variety grow from 18" - 24" in height and are well-suited for shady or filtered morning-light areas in the garden.

Since my garden has plenty of locations with those specific conditions I've planted Moonlight in several places in the back and in the front. Here they are blended in with other mixed-whites with White Queen in a sweep behind them.

One of the questions I am asked often is what to do about the bare ground caladiums leave after they finish their growing season. My answer to that is: I don't necessarily use bare ground to plant the bulbs. I typically plant them layered underneath shell gingers, saw palmetto, coonties, oakleaf hydrangeas, and pentas and between existing plants. In almost every situation they are squeezed in between rows of aztec grasses, irises, flax lilies, and xanadu that serve as supports for holding them as the season wanes.

Moonlight is a 2004 introduction from the University of Florida produced by Classic Caladiums. The thin, dark green veins and edges are a perfect contrast to the clear white of the leaf in Moonlight. I am really pleased with the habit and appeal of Moonlight as this is the first summer they have shined brightly in the daylight of my garden.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Disclosure ***Dr. Bob Hartman and Mike Woods of Classic Caladiums generously gave me Moonlight bulbs during my tour (which you can read about here) of their facility in February. They did not require anything in return. I believe in what they are doing to improve the caladium industry and I LOVE caladiums so much I am honored if I have any small part in promoting the industry and specifically Classic Caladiums. It isn't too late to plant caladium bulbs. If you want to place an order Classic Caladiums still has a few specials being offered at great values and prices.