The High-Heeled Gardener | The Magic of Mass Plantings

By Kymberly Taylor

 

 

After interviewing landscape architect Eric Groft for an article in this issue, I thought I would share his wisdom for creating an amazing garden. You know what I mean—the kind you drive by and know that a true professional was involved. “No onesies or twosies,” he says. “Plant in a group of five to fifteen.” I think I get it now! Plant in masses! Or, better yet, stagger them a bit so they will flower in “drifts.”  Fifty plants are certainly better than five if I do say so myself.  

As I turn to my own garden, I notice my neighbor Lloyd Gleason, a paramedic, has quietly out-planted me. I watched him put in a few coneflowers about five years ago.  Now, his garden is expanding and exploding with these easy, colorful perennials. They truly do spread. (I wish they would spread over to mine!)  

 

My own black-eyed susans have done much the same thing. I started with three plants two years ago. Now, I can hardly see the ground as more than 30 of them are about to blossom!  This will be my first “mass planting.”  

For an editor in high-heels, nothing could be more exciting than, of course, another pair of awesome shoes. Let me share my most recent acquisition: a lemon suede low-heel with a casual ribbon by J Crew. This lemony color is my new favorite and seems to go with absolutely everything! If I am brave, I will take a photo of myself in my shoes when my golden black-eyed susans bloom in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned! 

If you have any questions about gardening, please email them to me at kymberly@annapolishomemag.com.  I will turn to my cadre of experts and get back to you!

Follow Kymberly Taylor, editor-in-chief of AHM, on Instagram and Facebook: @thehighheeledgardener

 

Annapolis Home Magazine
Vol. 11, No. 4 2020