They Simply Settle In
Since early spring, I’ve been wanting to show you this. How the wild violas have found a place between the flagstones on the terrace. How they don’t mind one sniff that they don’t live a grand sort of life, all tucked into fussy, manicured beds. They simply settle in wherever they find themselves, and bloom. Even here, in cramped quarters, with spare care, they’re living their happiest lives.
Truth is, I hadn’t shown you this sooner because they had many weedy bedfellows for most of spring, as well as that assemblage of a dozen Annabelle hydrangeas in their big black nursery pots, sitting on the terrace, too, waiting (and waiting and waiting) for their planting out. It was a general state of disarray in the middle of a game of landscape puzzle-playing here: that can’t be done until this is; this plant, and this one and this one have to move here before that and that can be planted there. Garden Tetris, it’s been. I’m in my second year of a slow re-arrange of my flowerbeds, and if there’s anything I’ve come to realize, it’s that I’m not good at judging how much work is ahead of me (and therefore, how much time it’s going to take) in this regard come spring. And in the middle of this garden Tetris, while my attention and efforts were elsewhere, spring turned to summer and those weedy bedfellows were threatening to take over the terrace.
Then, on one too-hot summer day, in the merciful shade of the cottonwood trees, there was finally a thorough weed-pulling, thanks to a good dose of hands-free time during a long phone call with a friend. I scooted around the terrace, pulling weeds, filling my nearby basket with them, then emptying it into the waiting wheelbarrow, then back to pulling and scooting and listening. Pull, pull, pull, scoot, scoot. Listen, listen. While I was distracted, behind me fell the most delightful trail of lavender and purple pansy faces, jewels between the cracks. Such a sweet, sweet joy to turn around and see.
First thing I wanted to do after I’d finished and given the terrace a good rinse-down with the hose, was take pictures to show you, because a victory and a delight aren’t nearly as sweet as when they’re shared with someone who cares.