As my garden continues to wild itself, the definition between the areas conventionally thought of as border, lawn and pond margin has all but disappeared. Traditionally gardens are all about definition and clearly demarcated areas, but nature is all about ebb and flow. Never static, plants move around, flowering and seeding in conditions which suit them and then their offspring, perhaps finding themselves in an even more comfortable home, thrive and spread their seed in turn.
If these plants are natives, they are usually called invasive weeds, but if they are ornamentals they might stand more chance of being appreciated and their reasons for moving around might be considered.
This spring is still at an early stage, but its lovely new growth has already shown me how the Primula family members have spread themselves from shady borders to the now semi shaded meadow lawn. Little rosettes of leaves drifting out into the grass and a false oxlip, just coming into flower, a hybrid between a cowslip and primrose, nestling at the base of an old decaying log. One parent preferring the sun, the other the shade, a child of the edge of both conditions.
In my garden hellebores excel, their ancestors I can only assume were planted over many years and finding the conditions so much to their taste they interbred, hybridised, spread and are now so numerous as to form a carpet beneath the apple trees, through a gap which the sun reaches and along a path by the boundary hedge. The previous owner called it the spring walk so perhaps this is where they all began and as they continue to spread I wouldn’t dream of trying to halt their progress.
These are not native plants certainly, but they have found their niche and besides providing food for the big fat buff tailed bumble bees which are coming out of hibernation now, for me they are a joy to see. As the world of my garden wakes from winter, I wander through it and lift their downturned faces up to look at mine. They never fail to make me smile, each one uniquely beautiful and living their best life exactly where they want to be, on the edge.
