Four Planters

Somewhere about ten years ago, I placed four large planters at the edge of my deck.  I planted decorative bunchgrass in each, thinking the grass would survive from year to year.

The following spring found the bunchgrass dead.

After uprooting the grass, I tried Russian sage.

The sage survived only one summer.

For the next eight or so years, I planted only annuals in the planters.  I planned on yearly defeat.

Last year, that girl suggested permanent metal flowers and filling the top half of the planters with white rocks.  Here, a permanent thing.  No more fighting nature.

This morning I am posting a photograph of one of the planters.  The planter is now filled with volunteers from a spreading flower (whose name I have forgotten) that has been growing in a flower bed near for the whole time.

I am going to allow nature to have its way on this one.

—Mitchell Hegman