In a garden's early years, the gardener is perpetually in a rush. Impatiently, he fertilizes and frets over every bug and black spotted leaf that he fears will set the garden back. More important than tomorrow is today, and fast takes priority over slow and steady.
The floral display of 'Sun King' aralia (Aralia cordata 'Sun King', below) is of minor consequence, though the small, satellite shaped flowers are interesting and certain to attract bees. 'Sun King' is most remarkable for its brightly colored yellow foliage, and its size, growing nearly to six feet tall.
Several hours of this past weekend were occupied by planting. Also removing, which is often more work and not so pleasurable, but large parts of a variegated hydrangea had reverted to green. This hydrangea often was damaged by freezes, and thus rarely flowered, so chopping it out was a year or two overdue.