Well, Kristine, sometimes the 'plunk and run' routine does work and there is something to be said for it's wonderful results.

I like organized gardens, but I also like the ones where you can see that the gardener of the house truly enjoys gardening and is not just growing plants to co-ordinate and accentuate and be like the Jones'.

I like gardens where you can see that the gardener is growing plants because they like being there when the seed sprouts, and when the first leaves show, and when the first flower blooms irregardless of where that plant is.

Gardeners who garden because of their passion and not perfection get a great sense of personal satisfaction which is so rewarding. At least I like to think so.

I'll admit, I've been out there plunking what remains of my winter sown containers from this year - including annuals - but I enjoy it.

And yes, I do have some tall plants in front of shorter plants, but they are all doing just fine. In due time I might rearrange them, but for now I have other things to do such as spend time watching the Swallowtail Butterflies enjoy the gardens. I've been planning for them for 5 years now, and it's paying off.

It might be chaotic, but when it comes to a garden, chaos is not necessarily a bad thing. So after you finish the plunking and running this weekend, sit back and relax. Your gardens look great!!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:194184}}

Oh Tiffy, that picture is beautiful :) Love it, love it :) In fact, all your pictures are great!

I guess there's all kinds of gardeners, and I just happen to be a 'plunker.' :) I need to accept this and go back to enjoying gardening and the chaotic, but beautiful surprises it holds.

Thanks Tiffy, you made me feel better :) And I got all my seedlings in yesterday, both annuals and perennials :) Yahoo!

Kristine

Kristine, I will join you in your "confession". I also have not finished planting this year and I'm not sure I will. I have several packs of w/s annuals sitting there blooming there heads off in the pack and I think are now beyond hope of putting in the ground. My biggest failure this year, when it came to my garden, was lack of time at planting out time. I really went big this year on how much I did and I think I overwelmed myself a bit. Last year - not enough. This year - too much. Next year - perfection. LOL Isn't that what makes gardening so much fun. We're always striving for perfection!

Shauna

Welcome to the 'chaotic gardeners' club Shauna :) I also overwhelmed myself with wintersowing waaaaay too much... When it came to seeds, I felt like a kid trading baseball cards, "Got it, want it, want it, got it..." Spending money and winter sowing = the perfect cure for winter boredom :)

This winter, I've promised myself that I won't overdo... there should be a warning for newbies somewhere. :)

Kristine

Kristine,
I know exactly how you feel in regards as to where to put plants. I struggle with this as well. I have grown lots from wintersowing over the last few years. This year I was very late in getting most of my plants in the ground. I would walk thru my garden beds and look at my nursery bed and think where will this go and I would promise myself that I will not wintersow anymore plants til I create more beds for planting. However my brain does not seem to process this very well because I have already started saving containers, purchased some potting soil, started collecting some seed and made a list of what I want to ws this year.

My long perennial border is so full that I actually have to move some things out in the fall because I haven't left enough space for the plants to actually mature to size. I also have short behind tall and some very startling combinations.

Wintersowing has opened up a whole new world of different things to grow and like a good little wintersower I must try one of everything!lol Isn't it wonderful!

Michelle

You guys just need new terminology. You aren't chaotic gardeners; you're cottage gardeners. Love the chaos.

If you perfectly planted every taller thing behind the smaller plants, your garden would look like high school bleachers and that's not attractive.

I've planted out all my seedlings only because my season started earlier, and I was going on vacation and didn't think the plants would survive without being planted (good thing as we had record-breaking temps for the 2 weeks I was gone -- in the 30s). And I did it in the dark the night before I left.

Of course, when I came back, I had to move things that had grown more than I expected.

Just think; if it was all perfectly planted first time around, what would you do all summer? I never wait until fall to move things. I just water like crazy and move it when I want to.

Embrace your cottage gardens.

Good idea... reframe the chaos to cottage and embrace it :)

After I make that mental shift, I need to reframe all the other 'chaotic' areas of my life! :)

And you're right cangrow, if we planted perfectly the first time out, we wouldn't have a reason to play in our gardens the rest of the summer.

Thanks :)

Kristine

I had started some Rose of Sharon and I hadn't looked at the pots for weeks and when I checked today, the pot is just fill of cleomes. I always wondered where they went and I still can't figure out how the cleomes got mixed up with the Rose of Sharon. So tomorrow I'm going to go through those pots and divide the cleomes from the Rose of Sharon.

I have so much left to plant & no garden space left so if the annuals (bless their hearts) wish to flower in cell packs that's ok.
What frustrates me is the heat& humidity! I'm zapped of all energy soon after I start lifting out plants I no longer want or those that have spread.
So my green house, a picnic table full & temporary plunge beds plus other pots of trees & shrubs that will have to wait until the cooler weather.
There is a temporary bed of grasses now two years old that may have to stay where they are even though it's not an ideal area!
I am admitting finally that my gardening fever of the last 10 years has reached a breaking point.
Did I mention I have a healthy supply of RoundUp!!!!
sam

We are planning to put in new windows in the front living room and bedrooms at the end of August this year so my garden under the living room window will be destroyed. I have to move irises and peonies and daylilies somewhere but where? My oldest daughter wants me to "Organize' the new garden in order from tallest at the back to shortest. Sounds good and I thought I had sort of done that in the other nine gardens in the front and back but some just creep up on you like the plume poppies that have grown to over seven feet tall that hide the row of daylilies behind them or the ornamental grass that hides the butterfly bush....cottage gardens are supposed to look natural right? They are just doing what comes naturally........