Rock Rose

No sooner did I speak of it than it happened. The rock rose bloomed. Once upon a time it was ensconced beneath a young crape myrtle growing in a tiny little garden spot by the front porch. But the tree grew and grew and grew until none of the plants beneath its shade had a chance. They all got moved. The rock rose, the turks caps, the salvia. Gone. Thriving elsewhere. The rock rose got a prime spot beneath the big oaks. Every morning, spring through summer, it greets the day with green leaves and pale pink flowers.

It's companion is bindweed, a trailing vine with small purple morning glory type flowers. I’ve been trying to hold it at bay, but the rock rose and the turks caps growing behind the rock rose prevent any serious effort to dig up the little plant. There’s just too much cover. So, by summers end the rock rose and the bindweed will be putting on a flower show of pink and purple. Not bad actually. There is some bare ground in front of the rock rose, and I may dig it up this year and put in mulch for affect, and maybe plant something low, silver ponyfoot or catmint, just to see how it goes.

For clarification sake, I should point out there are two gardens beneath the big oaks. The rock rose is in the smaller of the two. Along with the turks caps. Also, there’s a goodly stand of spiderworts in the smaller garden along with a couple of young trees. Interesting place. And it’s growing. It’s lined with rocks and we just move them as the plants start pushing against the edge. You might say it’s a living garden. One day, I may have no yard to mow. It will just be trees and plants growing at their feet, and won’t that be sweet?