Friday, August 31, 2007

Love it or Hate it?

Here is my garden nemesis of the moment: Rudbeckia triloba (or sometimes trilobata). It's a beautiful, carefree plant, perfect in arrangements. I have so much of it, you'd never suspect how much time I spend getting rid of the damned thing. You'd think we were best friends.

See, this biennial black-eyed Susan, sweet though it looks, is actually a bit pushy. It takes up residence, starts producing offspring, and the next thing you know, there's no room for anyone else. And who's paying the rent? I am! Out, Susie!

It does have its place though. So every year at about this time, I go around moving, and chucking, the seedlings. Every year I think I've come up with the grand scheme of where it'll actually be useful next year, and every next year, I realize I've left far too many children and end up having to take even more out. The one place I would truly love to see that yellow, the jungle-like back of the garden, Susie prefers not to settle. It's very downmarket. You know.

1 comment:

Maria said...

I feel the same about my Rudbeckia, takes over and over, though the glowing color just before twilight makes me smile and feel happy as I walk my dog each evening.