You may remember a post I wrote way back in June about a shallow planter where nothing grew and how I had turned it into a miniature garden of sorts. I was very pleased with the results, but I decided rather than fuss over it, I would wait to see if anything seeded itself in there.

Here’s the same planter now. The verbena that I tried to grow in it two seasons ago? That’s it growing happily, all purple and healthy.

The sweet little marigold I planted last summer? The one that just disappeared? Here it is, still putting on a glorious show.

The driftwood, pebbles and the omnipresent piglet are still there, but now they are nestled among thriving plants.

Over the summer, I added a few finds, like this small horseshoe crab shell, carapace, whatever you call it.

This interesting and rewarding experiment confirms what most gardeners already know: plants that seed themselves can thrive in places where the same cultivars had failed. And I am also blown away by the tenacity of those seeds that stayed in the crummy soil for two years or more, invisible to me or even the birds, only to surprise me with awesome flowers when I least expected it.

The garden is full of miracles.