"Planting colorful flowers is effective because the flowers appear to be glad to see you."

Wandering aimlessly through the library recently an aptly titled book caught my eye: Planted Junk by Adam Caplin. Most of what I own is junk well-used after all these years and then I go right back out and scout for more junk collectibles every chance I get. This is a book that approaches the marriage of color and junk forms in a really fun and eye-pleasing way. He uses everything from old drawers to kid's toys, especially beach pails, to strategically place just the perfect plant, color or texture. I especially liked the stately foxglove planted in the bow of an old wooden boat (!) or single black pansies in orange-flavored San Pellegrino cans. His old found teapots spilleth over--my favorite: white nicotiana in a big red one. [Difficult to find, I love to plant the true nicotiana -- flowering tobacco -- for its height and delicious fragrance.]

So, back to my patio slab, I probably won't get away with a painted yellow tire full of fragrant, dark purple petunias but a teapot or a drawer full of alyssum would be surreptitiously perfect. I jotted down some of my faves above so I wouldn't forget. Forgetting seems to skip merrily hand in hand with 'older' stuff.

hopeful crop of rhubarb in a neighbor's yard

Simplicity and complexity need each other.
—John Maeda