State of the Garden & How it Got This Way

I’ve raked the leaves here at Boxerwood since 1986. Needless to say, I’ve seen a lot of changes. In that time the garden has been my most persistent, prolific, and demanding teacher.

I had only a short time with Dr. Munger. As I gardened beside him I realized that the things I thought important in a garden didn’t interest him at all. I had a persistent tendency to tidy up, mulch, and weed – the obvious things. Rarely did he want time spent in such activities. Mowing was irregular at best. He felt that too much mowing was unhealthy. (He felt the same way about humans bathing.)

After his death, Bob’s sons and I prepared the garden for his “funeral”. In accord with his wishes, the family had invited the public to walk his garden in his memory. There would be no formal words, just a Sunday afternoon walk-about. That day, May 28,1988 was the first and perhaps the last time I remember thinking everything was done in Bob’s garden. In the following years, Ms. Munger would walk me around the grounds. She tried to teach me to see the beauty and not all the undone things. It would ruin her walk to hear me point out all the areas in need of improvement.

After eight years with Mrs. Munger, we bought a portion of Boxerwood. I’ve had many lessons over the 20 years – most of them humbling. I have learned to look favorably at anything that shields the burning sun from the delicate microbes living in the top of the soil. (Sometimes I think I’ve created this idea so I wouldn’t feel bad about having to little time to edit weeds and add mulch.) I found myself falling into the Dr. Munger style of gardening  - if only out of necessity.

Opening to the public began a new era of values clarification; our priorities are: 1.) Safety, 2.) Tree Health, 3.) Education: learning stations, wetland walk, 4.) Esthetic appeal

Years of being more inspired than smart took their toll and my body parts began to whine. Just keeping the grass mowed is a large endeavor. I have come to appreciate Dr. Munger’s philosophy of gardening. It just doesn’t go so well with the public’s expectations of a garden - I can’t help but imagine that the good Dr. would approve of the slight discomfort a disheveled garden might bring to the average public garden visitor. Yet, I don’t think I really want to cause discomfort to anyone who walks the garden. But with only me at the rake it’s probably inevitable. In the past I have been able to get a small area of the garden somewhat esthetically pleasing for a party or event. But without spraying significant amounts of Roundup, the shaggy look quickly reappears. Fresh mulch cannot smother all the weeds, so that tidy, clipped appearance is short-lived. Three or four years ago I made the decision to cut back on spraying so much Roundup. (Even though research supports the position that it doesn’t harm the environment, my gut tells me that all things are connected and to spray one must affect the others. If I am not willing to eat food that has been sprayed with Roundup, why would I let the birds?)

Now, let’s considered the trees. I have watched these trees grow, thrive, suffer thru droughts and cold spells, survive the insects and die. By caring for them and charting an inventory every 4 - 5 years I have truly gotten to know and grow up with many of the long-lived members of the Boxerwood Family. Some plants seem to be doing great and then the next thing I know the evergreen is brown and it is all over except perhaps for an autopsy.

Because we want people to experience nature first hand and we can’t take everyone to a wilderness, in some ways I think of Boxerwood as a sacrificial lamb. The garden takes a direct hit from the increased traffic on unprepared pathways There are days I wish we could close the trails for the safety of the trees. Nothing compacts wet soil like a 3rd grader excited to be outside. The first year we began the Education Program, we almost killed the Great Oak by letting the kids dance and celebrate nature on her roots. We have since mulched the area and now we use the foot traffic to break down wood chips that absorb the compaction and make new soil.

There are wider - and still wild - areas to be developed and explored. And after that….who knows? I can plan and dream and dream and plan forever. In the meantime - Explore wonder!  

KB, Garden Steward