Spring and Imperfect Gardens

“But aren't many gardens beautiful because they are imperfect?...aren't the strange, new flowers that arise by mistake or misadventure as pleasing as the well-tended and planned?”― Libba Bray, The Sweet Far Thing

I used to have this theory that my gardens weren't beautiful unless they looked perfect. Now I don't like formal gardens with manicured  hedges like in The Shining. I am all for the casual English garden style, but if there were weeds, empty spots, tall grass, or plants not doing well, I felt like a failure.

Because of that I never liked spring. Spring was always a struggle. Spring was a challenge. Spring was messy. There were plants that you didn't know whether to let thrive or pull because they might be weeds. One day there are lovely tulips one day, the next day dead plants.  Nothing seemed right in the gardens at Martin Creek. 

When I post pictures of my gardens I only show the good. I do not show the bad where sections of the gardens are full of weeds or overgrown grass. I surely don't show the ugly either  which are spots with things that I don't recognize. I call them the mystery gardens.

I am letting go. I am embracing anything that comes to life in spring. I am enjoying the tiny plants that may be flowers in a month. I am leaving dead tulip leaves to put food back into their bulbs. I am letting unwanted grass grow... at least a bit until I have the strength to pull it. 

I am finally finding a unique beauty in spring and my imperfect gardens.