And so the pandemic marches on! We are so fortunate to live on the West Coast with the best of weather, scenery and health care, and, if we follow the guidelines the deadly virus will eventually be one of those “remember when…” conversations.
… and so the plan evolved to plant approximately 2,000 flowering plants; calmly, kindly and safely. Teams and shifts to cover two days were charted, deliveries made, pylons placed at 6’ intervals and the show went on! Kudos to all who participated. The sun will come up smiling this summer because of you. There was no waiting for the storm to pass, just learning to dance to a different tune.
The summer solstice is June 20 followed by Father’s Day on the 21st. A good weekend to spend in the garden, just 23 days away!
We Dig – Do It Now Tips
• Finish planting hanging baskets, patio pots and window boxes with flowers - keep them well fed and watered during the summer months
• Prune lilacs after blooming
• Plant gladiolas for late summer colour
• Feed vegetable gardens once a month now through September with an all purpose fertilizer
• Thin heavy crops of fruit on apple, pear and plum trees to reduce branch weight and increase fruit size
• Keep compost piles dampened, and well aerated
• Keep grass long, set mower blades to 1 1/2 to 2 inches, to keep lawn green and roots cool and moist
• Feed fuchsias, they need water and fertilizer frequently
• Plant heat loving veggies such as cucumbers, eggplant and peppers
• Dead head spring blooming flowers
• Cut off chive flowers to encourage new growth
Did you know…
… Flower of the month is the rose?… meaning ‘I love you’.
… Your birth flower is the rose and honeysuckle meaning gratitude and appreciation?
… the colour of roses symbolize certain values: Red – love? Yellow – friendship? Orange – enthusiasm? White – purity? Pink – joy?
… bees are attracted to blue and violet colours, birds to red and orange and butterflies to orange and yellow?
… a worm breathes through its skin?
Hummingbirds consume two times their body weight in nectar? (For humans that would be 151 litres of your favourite beverage! Hmmm?)
Pick of the Month - Weigelia –family Caprifoliaceae-honeysuckle
A deciduous shrub, it grows 1-5 m tall and is native to eastern Asia. It has prolific small, trumpet shaped flowers on arching branches. Loved by hummingbirds, but not deer. They often re-bloom during the summer, like sunshine, and are low maintenance.
AND … my gardener talked to me about edible herbs I can grow. It was sage advice.
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