JULY
My latest book was released on June 18th.
I’m always happiest when July is over. (The same can be said for January!) Despite the heat, it should be chill time. Wait until fall for further planting unless you can keep everything watered!
I’m still working with several private clients, including, of course, the Joslin Garden. I’m very fortunate to be acclimated to the heat. (Don’t get me started on cold weather!)
Despite the heat, I have been working in the garden. Oh, about every five years, I rework the garden somehow. Typically, it’s to reduce labor or rearrange things. This is the summer of reducing labor.
For one, I’ve removed most of the reseeding hellebores. They were edging the boxwood hedge around the kid’s old soccer field. Years ago, I dug 90 up from my friend Beth’s garden. I begin to be burdened by them with ratty leaves, cutting back old leaves in the winter so the flowers show better, plus cutting off seedheads so they don’t go crazy, which they will. Instead, I lined with a few big terracotta pots for a muhly grass. We’ll shall see how that does.
We are having a heatwave and drought.
Summer finally arrived on June 10th, not the 21st, as one would believe. Summer, to me, isn’t the length of the day; it’s the heat! It was bound to come, but I enjoyed the cool, wet spring. At least the garden had a good time while it lasted. I’m fortunate or acclimated, but the summer heat doesn’t bother me. I can work through it, and I’m strategic about it. You will not find me in a sunny location from 11 on.
I’m fortunate or clever because my garden was designed with waterwise principles. At least I know it will survive without me dragging a hose around. Still, I must keep perennial plants I planted in the spring and even shrubs planted in the fall, which need special attention. I’m keeping a close eye on those.
Back 40 (ft.) with a wilting native azalea. It was only planted in spring, so I need to keep an eye one with the drought we are having.
Back 40 (ft.) with hellebores gone.
Back 40 (ft.) new open area.
The Gazebo Corner
The Back 40 (ft)—I’ve planted perennials and shrubs here. Removing the pine trees and the chestnut opened the space for new plantings. So far, I’ve put in a Rhododrun minus, three native azaleas, goldenrods, bee balm, an elephant ear, and a native persimmon. Removed all the hellebores around the soccer field! I’m removing all the reseeding hellebores—too much maintenance with little reward. By the end of this month, I will only have a few special hellebores. I also cut back the acanthus foliage. This helps with transpiration, and the summer acanthus puts out new leaves.
Epimedium patch
The Epimedium Patch—This seems crazy; the rabbits like one kind of epimedium but not the others.
Pathetic Spring Ephemeral Patch—Killing drought.
Spring Ephemeral Patch, formally The Wildflower Patch—I’m refocusing this area off the back patio. While I once referred to the wildflower patch, it’s about spring ephemerals. Same with the extension.
The Mixed Border is a Transitional Zone that proved well since May 27th.
The South Side
The South Side—You know what’s exciting? After three years, Mason Bees found the Air Bee & Bee and are burying nests!
The Ostrich Fern looking pretty sad without water.
The Ostrich Fern Garden—I’m holding off watering this area. While these ferns are in an oasis/transition zone, they have done well. We were blessed with 1.5 inches of rain on June 30th. #Grateful.
The Fountain Garden—I haven’t been running the fountain much due to the drought, and the lack of splash affects the surrounding fern.
The Food Forest—The raised beds are doing great. We are enjoying eggplant and finishing the lettuce, and the new asparagus bed is doing well. We have so many pears that branches are breaking. We are Working on a landing into the raised bed area that’s practical and artistic.
The Food Forest Extension—The blueberries are producing…for the birds. The bushes are small. I’ve moved them several times. They are in their final location, receiving the right amount of sun and water. While at the beach, I decided to buy bags for the blueberries. But they were mostly gone, and what remained was hard and spent. Although I watered them during this year’s drought, I guess I didn’t water enough.
The Parterre—The thyme is filling in!
The Raspberry/Succernongs—Cut back old raspberry canes. This freshened up the area. Weeded the area, and others groomed it.
The River Bed—All dried up and decided it was time for a change. For 15-plus years, the bed held a hardy mum ‘Sheffield Pink’. I’m starting over with this bed. It will be a year-round, as best as I can select, bulbs.
The Pollinator Garden—Added mulch. It’s dry, but the area can handle it. Added another milkweed,
The North Garden—Cut back acanthus leaves. Rake all the magnolia and kumquat leaves to the edge for bagging.
The Girl’s Garden—Removed the hellebores at the entrance. Cut back the winter honeysuckle
The Rock Garden—Doing well with these dry conditions.
The Garden House
The Garden House—I decided to redo the entrance to the Garden House. I am still working on it, but the beach is calling my name! As I reworked this area, I noticed after 20+ years that the number of boxwood at the curve wasn’t the same on each side. I plan to did two out from the west side.
Leading to the Coop. I’m so happy with the removal of the hellebores.
The Coop—The run often gets lumpy as the girls scratch around. I leveled the run and potted up enough enriched soil to add to the new posts around the soccer field!
I don’t typically mention the back foundation plantings. Last year, we had a termite problem. While the area mostly had various boxwoods in containers, I had to move them to work there. They are back now, but many didn’t make it. I replaced the empty pots with pollinator plants. I’m hoping there is enough sun for them.
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Until soon,
Helen
#WeCanAllBeeBetter!