The Old Sled Has Peaked

Here it is when I planted it in late May


And here it is about 10 minutes ago.

I think this is about as good as it's going to get this year. It doesn't make me all giddy with excitement, but it's not bad. It has marigolds, calendulas, spikey blue salvia, 'whirlwind blue' scaevola, a small elephant's ear and one yellow zinnia (the only seed that survived). I really would have liked it if the red zinnias I planted had survived.


The morning glories reseeded themselves from last year and were a surprise when they appeared in July. I like them softening the frontal view.

All in all, I think the planting was a design success, due as much to the morning glory surprise as to my planning. I have a good combination of tall spikey, fat round, big leaves, small leaves, and just enough draping over the side to soften, yet not hide the sled.


This is last year's sled full of brightly-colored zinnias.
There was no design thought to this at all. I just stuck a bunch of purchased zinnias in. I did not even know what color they would be. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed it last year. The hummingbirds liked it, too. This year they don't come around the sled at all.

Moral of the story:
A container does not have to be expertly designed to be enjoyable.