Thinking about summer

It was summer once, wasn't it?

I've been enjoying a book I picked up at the library called Natural Landscapes, how to design and plant a garden in tune with the landscape, by John Brookes.

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The bee balm, yarrow, coreopsis, sage, lavender, mullein, and daisies in July.

I love meadows full of wildflowers and herb gardens that sprawl all over the place, and that is just what's in this book. I never had the energy or patience for a well manicured and organized garden. Besides, they look so boring. Gardens should be full of life and buzzing with activity, and bursting at the seams!

So far, I've had a hard time making things as lush and healthy as the gardens in this book. I think I've figured out a key ingredient though. It's called water. Yep, we are lacking it. Brookes lives in England, where they have to worry more about drainage, than drought.

Look at this poor hard baked "lawn". I want to rototill the whole thing and plant a meadow of wildflowers...(and just look at our dull looking house! it should be painted a new color, bright white or a dark brown or gold, anything but khaki!)

... how 'bout a field of sunflowers, wouldn't that be amazing? Hubby would be horrified.

But how would I keep it moist?

John Brookes likes to use a method that I have only recently discovered as the secret to water retention here. It is so obvious I can't believe I didn't do it a long time ago. It's rocks; as a planting medium, and a mulch. We have a ton of them and last year we filled in a retaining wall with rocks and I planted herbs in it. Well, guess what grew like mad? Shoulda known. Our rock pathways have always grown the healthiest weeds you've ever seen. Herbs love rocks too, and do much better under them, than under a bark mulch. Rocks! Duh!

Let the rock collecting begin! ...as soon as all this snow melts...