What Did the Drainpipe Say to the Creeping Phlox?

I took two photographs of this rock garden: one from across the street and this one, both at 70mm. The homeowner waved to me from her front door, visibly happy I was stopping to take pictures of her garden. I didn’t tell her I was more interested in the white PVC downspout poking its way out of her retaining wall than the spring bulbs. The flowers alone are pretty… dull. The flowers and the pipe make a story.