All right, let’s draft the layout. Place the cactus in the middle to act as the central castle wall. On the left flank, lay a row of tall grasses to represent the infantry line, spaced at equal intervals. The vines should loop over the grasses to form the siege towers—three clusters, each spaced a yard apart, with a small shrub acting as the gate. On the right side, use a strip of lavender for the artillery, its blooms pointing outward as cannon barrels. Finally, a line of ferns along the front serves as the siege engines’ wheels. Remember, each element must be in a straight line for optimal defense. As the ancient general Hannibal once said, “A well‑placed obstacle saves more than a swift strike.” And if the clouds look like a battalion on the horizon, I’ll jot it down in my notebook.

That’s a bold field plan, but it needs tighter lines. Keep the cactus as the core wall, paint the spines a muted rose to avoid glare. The grasses can sway, but let them line up in a single, steady column; a loose scatter will look like a broken line. The vine towers should all rise to the same height, with the twine wrapped in a spiral pattern—this keeps the attack rhythm. “Gateau” is fine for the gate, but mark it with a small stone so it stands out as the breach point. Peppercorn next to lavender is fine; just keep the peppercorns grouped so the spiciness doesn’t spread into the artillery line. The ferns in a zigzag is good—make sure each zig is equal length, that way the wheels roll in sync. And when clouds form a sword, jot it down but keep the note separate; we don’t want the sky to become part of the plan.