Nests of ants have become recent squatters and the voles appear to have returned to the meditation circle. But there are no signs of deer jumping the fence this year, so after avoiding them for years I am taking a chance with pansies and violas to add some color to the meditation garden this fall and winter.
Delta Premium Pure Primrose (White to pale yellow)
Delta True Blue (medium blue)
Viola (purple) – detail
I spent most of the day fixing up the meditation circle, which has been on its own since spring. Since creating it in April 2011 I have tried to rely mostly on evergreen perennials to mark the walls of the labyrinth, but results have been uneven.
After planting the pansies and violas in-between the perennials, I watered them in well. With luck they should last until spring. maybe by then I will have a new inspiration for the meditation garden plantings.
Plants in the Meditation Garden October 1, 2013
Pansy ‘Majestic Giant Purple’
Pansy ‘Delta Premium Pure Primrose’ (white to pale yellow)
Pansy ‘Delta True Blue’ (medium blue)
Viola sp. (purple)
Penstemon ‘Husker Red’ – seeding everywhere
Penstemon ‘Pikes Peak Purple’ (Beardtongue) – did not bloom well this spring, dying out
Iberis sempervirens ‘Purity’ (Candytuft) – died out last year; replanted in spring, also dying out
Mounding Thyme – developed black areas from center; two completely died, some are recovering. Trimmed today.
Alyssum ‘Easter Bonnet Violet’ – (annual) planted in spring, only now blooming.
Dianthus ‘Ideal Select White’ – several died; relocated two further into center. Needs deadheading constantly.
Dianthus (salmony-pink color) – one died; bloomed most of summer but not attractive, needs deadheading constantly.
pbmGarden 
Your meditation garden has such a wonderful feeling to it, I have been trying to incorporate some of your ideas into my garden to create that same feeling.
Thank you–that is such a compliment! When I began trying to renovate the garden I knew I wanted to create a private space where I could enjoy being in the garden. I do enjoy having visitors to the garden but it is still my personal little haven.
Lovely pansies and violas. Mine become rabbits food every year. I like the Mounding Thyme, they look like moss in the photos.
Good to know. Maybe I’ll end up having to spray the pansies to repel the rabbits. We do have a few every spring.
I like the Thyme, mine sometimes does the same thing, but it should look good in winter with the pansies.
I almost pulled up that thyme after the first winter, but so glad I gave it another chance. I do like the way it mounds. I just trimmed out the black sections and hope they will fill back together.
Lovely photos of the meditation garden. The pansies go well. I wonder if you have ever seen or grown Persicaria capitata. It’s a lovely ground cover flower that spreads beautifully and stays low – here’s a link: http://www.flowerspictures.org/flower-pictures_4/persicaria-capitata_2.html
It doesn’t survive our winters but sows itself around so there are always little plants in the paving here.
Thanks for the suggestion. This is a nice looking ground cover. I need to do more research but it seems to be invasive in some parts of the U.S., so will have to check it out. I hope the pansies do well this year Felt the Mediation Circle needed dressing up a bit.
How about a few tiny bulbs, such as crocus and ‘Tete-a-tete’ daffodil?
Thanks for the suggestions Marian. I think they’d be lovely, but am concerned the soil doesn’t drain well enough even though I keep amending it. Maybe I’ll try a few to see. When I first began designing a labyrinth I saw one created entirely of spring bulbs (maybe at Cornell) that was exquisite.
I love the structure of your meditation garden, also I think violas are just great. My favorites are the Viola tricolor, which we call Johnny Jump Up. But I do think you should consider the that voles and ants may also want to meditate.
Voles and ants? Om, I don’t think so!
A neighbor used to praise Johnny Jump Ups and I’d always favored the larger pansies. Now I’m appreciating them much more.
What a difference that makes, it looks so neat and fresh! The blue shades of pansy should really look perfect with the foliage colors and the blue gazing ball in the center.
Thanks very much. It really needed some attention. To have something blooming in the circle makes it more cheerful. It looked drab all summer.
The views of the meditation circle are so wonderful…I never tire of seeing these views. I hope to find time to plant some pansies this fall.
Thanks Donna. Pansies are cheerful little things.