Most of the very tall plants at Federal Twist have blossomed leaving an interesting interplay of verticals, diagonals and curves.


As the season progresses, the plant communities take on greater complexity. But the strong lines imply an underlying structure and order.


It's messy, no finely manicured edges here, but it entertains me and gives me pleasure ...


... sensuous delight ...


... new thoughts, new ideas ...


... and feelings I can't express ...


... the interplay of chance and intention ...


I planted none of this Eupatorium perfoliatum (above). Rather, it planted itself. I'm just a line editor.

Here too (below), many of the plants seeded themselves ...


... and many of these were planted intentionally. Can you tell the difference?



An accident ... the great blue lobelia doesn't belong here, certainly not next to the box wood ... but I just couldn't pull it out. Perhaps next year.


Intention and chance ... the first plants to be put in here were Rudbeckia maxima; others followed, mostly without my help. The cloud of Filipendula I planted a couple of years later.


I wish I could say the juxtaposition of the Joe Pye Weed and the Sanguisorba was intentional. Was it? I can't remember, but I do like it.


One last chance surprise just caught my eye as I was passing - a molting praying mantis.