My eye was captured by this pair during a recent trip to Cheekwood, the local botanical garden here in Nashville. The gardener obviously intended for visitors to see the contrast of color and shape and texture. But these plants were not the stars of the show. Or were they?

We all notice the obvious blooming accents of color that is scattered throughout the acreage. This display of greenery could be viewed as the backdrop to the blossoms. But I stop and ponder that it is the overlooked, the ordinary that gives structure to the garden. These plants provide interest, and often endure longer than the blooms. They invite touching. They have a depth of being. The viewer is invited to a deeper relationship. I know some fascinating people because they function in the same way: quiet, deep, strong, vital, interesting.