In the film, there is a shot of a frost-covered coneflower. Its seed head is black, brittle, and bent under the weight of ice. A traditional gardener would have cut this down in September. Oudolf leaves it standing. He calls these skeletons "the architecture of memory." Against the low winter sun, those dried stalks aren't trash; they are stained glass. They catch the snow. They hold the cobwebs like jewelry.
He wants the moment when the Monarda (bee balm) is turning black and crispy next to the fresh green shoots of the Sedum. He wants the rust on the leaves. He wants the "mess." five seasons
Why? Because that mess is life.
And it is glorious. Have you seen Five Seasons ? Did it change your mind about "clean" gardening? Let me know in the comments below. In the film, there is a shot of a frost-covered coneflower