Thursday, April 16, 2009

Your Vote on Vinca?



My Banner Mountain neighborhood is Action Central for Vinca right now--major, minor, whatever, it's all blooming like mad. 

I was admiring the plethora of Vinca during a walk this evening, and suddenly my Inner Garden Critic chimed in. He seemed to be an Englishman.

The internal dialogue was like those old cartoons, with a pitchfork-carrying Devil sitting on one's shoulder. This time it was a shovel-carrying Inner Garden Critic on my shoulder. 

It went something like this:

DP:  Oh, another bank of Vinca major in bloom! What a lovely shade of blue-violet those flowers are!

IGC:  I beg to differ! What could possibly be more of a garden cliche than Vinca major?

DP:  (falteringly) But I like it. And it's not St. John's wort.

IGC:  You make an excellent point. Vinca major is simply ubiquitous while St. John's wort is actively unattractive. But do please scan the horizon. Your neighborhood is absolutely swathed in Vinca major.

DP:  Well, not many groundcovers get through our snowy winters and dry summers. You know the deer don't eat Vinca. And it's fire retardant too. It's pretty much the perfect plant here.

IGC:  (splutters) Perfect plant? My good woman, I had imagined you finally understood the importance of native plants--and you know very well that Vinca is not native. 

DP:  You're right, you're so right. If there were a good native substitute I'd be glad to use it. 

IGC:  (coldly) It is invasive too, as I should not have to remind you.

DP:  Listen, with my clay soil I need plants called "invasive" just so they stay alive. 

IGC:  Hmmph. Well, at least you grow Vinca minor 'Sterling Silver' with variegated leaves. I suppose I can live with that.

DP:  Thanks. Now let's stop arguing so we can enjoy this walk together.

Silence, as I take a few more steps.

DP:  Oh, would you look at that! There's a magenta azalea about to open!

Inner Garden Critic screams and leaps off my shoulder.



And you, dear reader--whose side are you on? What's your vote on Vinca?

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