Astilbe Path
Astilbe, Hosta, Iris
The back garden path all-but-disappears by mid-summer. This is not a mistake, but intended. By the sixth month it becomes a path of lush abundance. Not unlike the journey in many Japanese gardens where you are forced because of the unevenness of the stone path to look at down your feet and thus encounter something not seen when looking forward. When designing this narrow area I wanted an abundant look in summer, a winter pattern of stepping stones, and a way to ‘tip toe thru the tulips’ so to speak. Thus on a practical lever I could access the plants for dead-heading and weeding, and on an experiential level I could journey thru lush abundance and notice details not evident from the overall view of the garden. The path presents an unique opportunity to appreciate the richness of texture and form in layer upon layer.