Meditation Circle
A grand thunderstorm overnight Tuesday brought much-needed rain. It also left the pathway stones in the meditation circle a bit wet and muddy. The circle was still in shadow early this morning when I took these pictures, but I wanted to document what feels to me like major progress.
It’s been several years since the meditation circle has been completely weeded, with the paths clear of obstacles so I could actually walk the labyrinth. Over this past week I have been removing various grasses and zillions of dandelions, along with other inappropriate interlopers, replacing them with colorful annual flowers as I went along. Sunday I finished both weeding and planting.
Meditation Circle – The circle looks distorted here. Was trying a new panorama. technique.
Native perennial Penstemon ‘Husker’s Red’ was planted into the meditation circle during its first year. Later Verbena bonariensis and Cleome were introduced. All have multiplied readily, spilling themselves into the walking paths.
At first it was welcomed, petals or foliage softening the hard edges of the stone blocks. Starry-eyed when those flowers started blooming, I would leave them to do their thing.
Through the years I have moved many of the excess elsewhere and passed along many to friends—still they continued to overrun their space making the labyrinth unusable most of the summer.
This year I decided to reclaim the circle for its intended purpose.
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue) In The Meditation Circle
There still are plenty of penstemon, beckoning hummingbirds as they come into flower. It’s the stem and leaves that are red, not the flowers. I probably thought otherwise when I bought them.
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue) In The Meditation Circle
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue) In The Meditation Circle
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue) In The Meditation Circle
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue) In The Meditation Circle
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue) In The Meditation Circle
Meditation Circle – Some years the various thymes in the center of the circle are happy and this is one of those years.
Meditation Circle – (Keeping the cerinthe in the lower corner for now.)
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue) In The Meditation Circle
On a whim at the garden center last week I chose two trays of Salvia splendens? (Scarlet Sage) to serve as the labyrinth’s walls along the stone paths.
Vista Mix Scarlet Sage
Vista Mix Scarlet Sage – from a few days ago, partially planted.
Vista Mix Scarlet Sage
I used to grow this salvia every year. In my experience the red plants are more reliable but I couldn’t resist this color mixture. The purple ones play off the foliage color of the penstemon while the other colors brighten the scheme.
Meditation Circle – The purple salvias play off the foliage of the penstemon.
I dropped cerinthe seeds in lots of places in the garden. For some reason one place it liked best was the meditation circle. Although the plants are perilously near the path, today their bluish bracts made me very happy.
‘Pride of Gibraltar’ Hummingbird Cerinthe
Can I be ruthless? Will I keep my meditation circle weeded and walkable all summer? Sure hope so. Stay tuned.
Meditation Circle
pbmGarden 
What a transformation, Susie! Definitely worth all the effort you put into it, and I really hope you are able to reap the benefits
Thanks Cathy, it’s hard to find even a few minutes sometimes in a day but I’m going to try to carve out some space for my meditation. Weirdly I found even the weeding very satisfying.
I hope you enjoy walking it again Susie! It looks wonderful with the splashes of colour from the salvia and I love your blue pots too!
Thanks Cathy. I’m so excited really about walking the labyrinth regularly. I added blue pots the first year we moved here–a good investment!
Your circle is looking great and those blue pots really pop.Good luck with your weeds and plants growing out of their bounds. I have a 3 foot path between two beds and when I come back for vacation they are almost grown together.
Judy, those weeds know when you’re on vacation! They party!
A beautiful clean up job, Susie. Happy walking! 🙂
Appreciate it Eliza. It sure feels good to get a handle on things in the garden, for a while anyway.
A beautiful and restful space. Good job on the work–now enjoy!
Thanks Tina! I can’t give up on the work but I do need to prioritize enjoyment as well.
Ha! It is amusing to see an appealing combination of two things that I am not so keen on. I am not impressed with scarlet sage. I dislike newly introduced cultivars of varieties. However, this ‘Vista Mix’ scarlet sage is very pretty.
I hope the scarlet sage will grow well in the circle. I was trying to find something that wouldn’t get too large and outgrow the space. We’ll see.
Part of what I do not find impressive about them is their growth. Unless planted with other fluffier vegetation, I do not remember seeing them grow large enough to obscure the medium between them. That is is within this climate though. Even from the beginning, they are more impressive there.
I love all the cheerful color and I hope the space lifts your spirits every time you walk though it, Susie.
Thanks Kris, it’s been a tough week and the meditation circle has been a big bright spot.
(((HUG)))
The Penstemons (and other plants) look beautiful and your progress is impressive. What a lovely and inspirational garden area!
Thanks Beth. There’s always so much do in the garden and I’ve let this area go for too long. Happy to have it back in working order.
It’s really beautiful, and I bet the annual sage will help define the pathway to make it easier not to inadvertently stray too far from the edges. A meditation practice is so welcome these days…
Yes, I’m trying to keep up my meditation practice. Of course, the challenge now is to walk without being distracted by new weeds emerging. Trying to find balance.
One of my favorite spots in your garden has always been the Meditation Circle. It was such a pleasure to see it again covered in flowers but with the stones visible. What a treat to walk its colorful paths. It would be the first place for me to go in your garden if I were to visit.