Being Comfortable in Your ‘Un’comfortable Zone

As I was planning my very first perennial garden, I did what was recommended by the books I read and the experts I listened to. One of the things that was advocated was to make a sketch of the area and to include the plants, and where you want to place them, in the design. 

So, with my graph paper and a ruler I drew my garden to scale on paper. I also knew that this was going to be a garden with all purple blooms. I placed catmints (Nepeta) in each of the four corners and salvia at 45-degree angles to the catmints. I planned for four lavender (Lavandula) plants in a diamond shape in the center of the garden. I had four columbine (Aquilegia) plants at the angles formed by the lavender and four balloon plants (Platycodon) and dense blazing star (Liatris) along the edges. The symmetrical design was pleasing to me as I have always been calmed by symmetry. It is my comfort zone. By the way, I have never completely understood the recommendation of going out of one’s comfort zone. I mean, what is wrong with staying in a comfort zone? It is comfortable. But, I digress…