Petals on the Ground
It’s always interesting to me the love-hate relationship people have with plants, particularly the ones they don’t like. Crape Myrtles, for instance, are considered messy trees by some of my friends, and lantanas are equally disliked by others. We have both in our yard, and we’ve had them in every yard we ever owned.
For the Crape Myrtles I like the blooms, the bark, and the shape of the tree, and their messiness is part of the appeal, particularly when the blooms drop and carpet the drive in flower petals. For the lantanas, I like their multi-colored blooms and their usefulness for hummingbirds and bees. They flower constantly and enjoy the heat of the summer. Seems a hard plant to beat for ease of care and flowering ability.
Of course, that’s the beauty of gardening, of growing anything. It’s always something you love or like. A tree, a shrub, a patch of grass. It’s the outside version of decorating your home. One you paint and hang pictures, the other you plant and water. In either case, it’s all about personal taste, and things that bring you pleasure. And I love turning down my drive and having my plants standing there to greet me.