Let it Grow!

Good Morning!  This May has been a cool and rainy one here in Chicago.  One of the benefits of this cool May is that Spring perennials have really thrived and grown.   During the last two weeks my own garden has exploded!  So much so that I need to get out in my own garden and thin out my Buttercup( Ranunculus repens 'Flora Pleno') and my Golden Creeping Money Wort( Lysimachia numularia 'Aurea') as they have started to take over in this cool weather.  A lot of people can  get a little overwhelmed or nervous about thinning out plants.  I promise it's not difficult.  Here's some tips for taking control of your wayward perennials. When you go out into your garden, identify the plants that are running a muck.  Any perennials that are growing into or on top of other perennials should be taken out.  For example, in my garden pictured to the left, the yellow flower is my Creeping  Buttercup.  You can see in the picture that it running a muck through my Hosta x. 'Dark Star' and my Iris siberica 'Caesar's Brother', My Tradescntia x. 'Concorde Grape'( Spiderwort is the common name) and my Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'.  I will start by pulling the Buttercup that is growing into and on top of these perennials. I will leave any that is in it's own space.  By thinning out the Buttercup I will create some more space and depth in that area of my garden so that it doesn't appear flat from a distance.   Don't let unruly perennials intimidate you into letting them take over your garden.  Get out there and thin them out!   Good Luck & Happy Gardening!