While I usually focus on financial matters, and items of economic interest, a recent health emergency (unrelated to COVID-19) has forced me to take some time off. Under strict orders from my doctor (and a second opinion), I am to avoid trading, investing, selling my positions, or even listening to the news. Especially the financial news. It’s given me time to reflect on my life, and what aspects are really important to me. I’ve decided to share a part of myself with the world that would normally be private. I’ve normally been sentimental about it, but having had a close brush with death, I’m feeling as free as a bird about all kinds of topics. My heart is open and unworried. Let’s talk about my other passion: gardening with my wife. When I became involved in the finance world (as my family expected me to be), I had a single thought that prompted my gardening obsession: “A white picket fence, green lush grass, and a brick house. Could anything be more sterile?”. I resolved to buck the trend and grow a garden that I myself wanted, purely for my own enjoyment (and my wife’s, of course). Avoiding any kind of plastic flamingo, blade of grass, excessive mowing, and other kitsch traditional garden ornaments: we’re going to talk about moss. In this article, I’m sharing with you the joys of using moss as part of your garden, as part of landscaping projects, and as art. It’s a practical guide, so if you’re not interested in non-financial topics, turn back now. Otherwise, let’s begin!
That’s right, moss
To cover the actual plant itself for a moment, let’s get a little scientific background: Moss is a plant. It is in fact, a non-vascular plant, meaning that it does not have the typical water-transporting vessels (xylem and phloem) that most plants have. It does have a root-like structure (called rootlets), a stem-like structure, and leaf-like structures (called fronds). Moss thrives in environments that are moist and cool. You’ve probably seen it growing naturally (accidentally) between paved bricks, for example. But while this small amount adds a little charm to a garden path, you’re probably going to need to acquire a lot more to achieve a larger visual effect. It’s not prohibitively expensive, and there are plenty of high-quality sources that have moss for sale. Growing your own moss is something most people try to prevent or avoid, as varieties of moss that pop up on their own aren’t always the first choice when it comes to aesthetic appearance.
Zen
There’s a certain peace that comes with raking a Japanese rock garden. If you’ve experienced it, you’ll know what I mean. (If you haven’t, then get out to your nearest bonsai center or Japanese garden, and try it!) You may be surprised to hear that a similar feeling of peace and even Zen can be found when walking barefoot on a thick, soft carpet of moss, in the shade, perhaps on a summery day. Certain varieties of moss are more hardy and willing to tolerate the occasional barefoot footprint or two, while others are absolutely in the “keep off the moss” category. It’s best to think about and plan your garden, and who will be visiting it, before you decide which varieties of moss you’d like to plant. This is especially true if you have children or dogs, who can be less than delicate. Some of the more beautiful varieties of moss are also the most fragile, so if you’re not sure, ask an expert in the planning stages. Once it’s grown, established and strong enough, it can be calming and soothing to meditate close to nature, on a bed of moss.
Indestructible from below
While we’ve just stressed the need to be gentle and care for certain varieties of moss, and prevent physical damage to them, don’t make the mistake of thinking that they’re high-maintenance, or difficult to grow. In fact, moss is one of the most resilient things in your garden. If you have difficult soil conditions (for example, acidic or alkaline soil) that would spell death from below to normal plants, trees, shrubs and flowers, then you may be surprised to learn that many types of moss will tolerate such conditions without issue. As another example, over-zealous new owners of a freshly landscaped garden (That may be you, shortly!) often over-water in the early days, and then slide into forgetful neglect, failing to water their garden frequently enough after a few months have passed. Not such a problem with moss! Some varieties are highly water-efficient, and can also tolerate over-watering, mild flooding, and long rainy seasons, without issue. Don’t go too crazy though, if you do accidentally leave a trickle irrigation system running continuously, it can cause problems, so let it dry out for a day or so afterwards (depending on the variety, of course).
Weed suppression
When you have new moss, it’s susceptible to weeds taking hold, so you will have to keep a watchful eye on it, with a quick hand at the ready, to pluck out any small weeds before they can spread. It won’t take long, and you don’t always have to keep up this level of maintenance, think of it as an investment in time, because soon the moss will deter and keep out many types of weeds, all on it’s own. A consistent, thick layer of moss will absorb sunlight, preventing it from reaching the newly sprouting weeds, effectively suppressing weed growth in that area of your garden. At the edges, where your moss meets some regular old grass, or a rock (for example), you’ll likely start to see weeds creeping in. The strong (true) roots of weeds are no match for the short rootlets of mosses, they’ll definitely win out in a turf war as time goes on. You can try to rely on the moss to continue suppressing weed growth, and to fill in the gaps, but if you want a full, thick moss carpet, you’ll have to give it some help.
Conclusion
Moss is definitely an under-celebrated hero of high-end landscaping projects. It’s tough, looks great all year round, and requires little maintenance, especially when compared to traditional turf lawns. It’s a great way to save time and money in your garden, and to create a low-maintenance, peaceful, natural area for you and your family to enjoy. Especially when you’re recovering from the ravages of financial stress, and want to meditate on life, for a moment.