Nursery Rhyme Challenges Us to Consider Theme Gardening

How (and what) does your garden grow? The question is more profound than many of us realize.Theme gardens come in many incarnations—from wildflower and dry climate, to hosta or grasslands. More about all that as the week goes along.

Until I began working as a volunteer in one, I had no idea that ‘Memorial” gardens are one of those possibilities. Visitors immediately sense something different about this kind of community garden. Key is the palette. No yellows, reds or oranges here. Flowering perennials chosen for Memorial Gardens like the one pictured here are all so-called ‘cool’ colors. As with house interior design, white, blue, pinks and mauves with a blue tinge, violets and purples give a calm, restful, introspective feel. The impact in a Memorial Garden is not so much one of sadness, as thoughtfulness and peace.

Other traditions also contribute to the unique character of a Memorial Garden. Since the intent is to convey a feeling of life and hope, gardeners deadhead the perennials on a regular basis. Bloomed-out flower stalks, yellowing and dried-out leaves are removed so that the garden always appears at the peak of its bloom, whatever the season. Intense weeding creates a feeling of order and care.

While at home, I enjoy just letting perennials "do their thing", there is a time and place for everything. Researching and cultivating a theme garden can also be a powerful tool in a gardener's shed.