It wasn’t such a bad deal after all. I sold my condo, got married and moved to a new home in NW Calgary. As the world turns I have come full circle and am back in the same condo building ten years later.

Goldmound spirea in front of early spring phlox. This is a pretty spring plant combination

As a gardener, I was thrilled that a combination of plants I had put together a decade earlier still looked great. This happens sometimes when you look through a closet you haven’t sorted lately and find a fabulous “outfit” but it doesn’t often happen in gardens. Plants usually grow tired or die or outgrow their spot. Or gardeners get bored and look for a change.

The combination  I planted at the condo  includes spring blooming Sunningdale Red Bergenia, fall blooming Autumn Joy sedum and winter interest dwarf Pumila spruce. In a space 2 metres by 2 metres I had packed in three seasons of interest. Of course I can’t find a photo of that right now but above is a photo of the sedum, a plant my husband fell in love with at Kew Gardens in England. I told him we already had it at home but he didn’t believe me and wrote down the name so I could buy it later. As I said, we already had it as part of our landscape – in fact I don’t think I’ve had a home without it – ever, and I’ve had a few homes.

Combos that work – or putting together a sustainable garden with hardy plants, is nothing new. At the Reader rock garden in Calgary there is 100 years of classic combinations so pop down there and have a look at the free park. And if you didn’t already know it there is a great restaurant (Reader Cafe) so you can take a snack break while plant snooping.