 |
| 2025 - in better days |
Looking back, I should have known better. It was simply too close to the fence line of the woodlot beyond, where deer pass through with regularity.
Rather than give up on it, I carefully dug up the azalea and moved it into a bucket, hoping a season of recovery will give it a chance to regain its strength before finding it a safer home later this summer.
The empty space offered an opportunity to try something new. In its place, I planted 'Chantilly Lace' Goatsbeard (Aruncus), a slightly larger variety that produces airy, cream-colored plumes and grows to about two or three feet tall.
Rather than give up on it, I carefully dug up the azalea and moved it into a bucket, hoping a season of recovery will give it a chance to regain its strength before finding it a safer home later this summer.
The empty space offered an opportunity to try something new. In its place, I planted 'Chantilly Lace' Goatsbeard (Aruncus), a slightly larger variety that produces airy, cream-colored plumes and grows to about two or three feet tall.
 |
| Photo - post plume trim in July |
It should fill the opening nicely while bringing a softer texture to this corner of the garden.
I've come to appreciate Goatsbeard over the years. The dwarf varieties have proven themselves dependable in the shaded parts of the garden, asking for little while rewarding me with graceful foliage and reliable blooms. 'Chantilly Lace' feels like a natural extension of that success. Its creamy flowers offer a welcome contrast to the brighter astilbes growing elsewhere, adding a quieter note that complements rather than competes.
I've come to appreciate Goatsbeard over the years. The dwarf varieties have proven themselves dependable in the shaded parts of the garden, asking for little while rewarding me with graceful foliage and reliable blooms. 'Chantilly Lace' feels like a natural extension of that success. Its creamy flowers offer a welcome contrast to the brighter astilbes growing elsewhere, adding a quieter note that complements rather than competes.
