The planting surrounding the new greenhouse has quickly filled. The space is not large, but an extension of a long planted area into which the small, octagonal greenhouse was shoehorned. The new planting is no more than two hundred square feet, and as if given new freedom to spread, it seems that long ago planted toad lilies (Tricyrtis) and overhanging ‘Silver Cloud’ redbuds have grown with renewed vigor.

On occasion, there will be some unanticipated discovery with a newly planted area, and here, torrents of water from recent thunderstorms were channeled into the edge between the lawn and plantings. Where was this water flowing before, I wonder? The flow washed away the chunks of bark mulch in the narrow space between the lawn and a stone wall planted with a variety of hens-and-chicks (Sempervivum, below), depositing the debris onto the Travertine floor of the summerhouse.

With each storm the trench became deeper, with mulch cleaned up but replaced by silt. So, rather than devoting hours to clean up, the inches deep gully was filled with gray river gravel, matching the color of the stones in the wall. One small storm has given hope that the problem will be solved, and though I did not place the gravel with much enthusiasm, I think that it finishes the area of stone nicely. Of course, it will look much better once the succulents have spread, but the appearance and function are acceptable for now.

Daffodils first filled the new area, followed by irises and lilies and terrestrial orchids that were transplanted from an overcrowded area nearby. Several Lady Slipper orchids were added, and here a bit of space was left for more to be planted next spring. It’s possible that a few of the perennials that are filling the space will be moved, but most likely that’s another year away. Typically, it takes a few years for a new planting to be satisfactory, but this planting was more of an add on to existing planting, and with a structure in the middle it’s been easy to fill.