Submitted by Joan Regan
It’s getting quickly, too quickly, to the end of the Summer of 2019. However, this is the time that I like to take stock of my garden, what’s happy and what is pouty.
With all the early rain we received our garden had never been happier, everything has done so well. But me being me, I like to change things up a bit and some things just need to be moved or thinned out and early fall is the time to do it, when I can see if what I want to move will fit in and be happy.
Thanks to all the rain the Hostas and Lilies have never looked better and I do love the look of those two together. We still have six plus weeks to change things up but I do like to get my moving/transplanting done by the end of September.
One garden that I changed around a couple of years ago has come into its own this year. Shastas take up the rear and a Huge Hosta (Frosted Jade), three-four huge happy lilies, and three or four ferns mixed in with some smaller Hostas at the front (Whee, Strip Tease, Gypsy Rose & Dancing Queen…. yes I do have a Porn Garden). Tucked in the corner of this garden is my milkweed, two plants still on the small side, but that didn’t stop Mrs. Monarch from putting out some eggs. Watched two wee caterpillars grow till one day they were gone, but did reappear awhile later to say hello. Now I have three more; one has left for her/his transformation and the other two are getting huge. They ate me out of Milkweed so I had to get some more just to feed their appetites. Hoping they will fly by to say hello like the other three boys did. Yup, the first three were boys. Such fun.
Most of my Hostas are flowering and it seems that the big Bumble Bees really like their flowers, steady going in and out of the flowers. Royal Standard is late to flower so I’m hoping there are a few hungry bees for them when they decide to put out their pretty flowers.
The garden is still happy. I’m still hoping I might get a couple of Black-eyed Susan flowers. They grow great with lots of flowers in my containers and the wild ones have sure made a nice showing out the front where they have seeded. This was their last chance… no flowers and you’re getting moved. Tough love from this Momma Gardener.
We had to have five trees taken down, four in our bush lot and one that was aiming at our bedroom window. But with trees down comes wood chips, great for the paths out back (always wait for two years to put fresh chips in the garden or they will strip the Nitrogen out of your soil). Thanking Tony McArthur for the great job and clean up.
Speaking of wood chips, guess I better go and rake some more up. Pete just dumped another six loads for me.
Happy late August Gardening,
Joni
jpregan@amtelecom.net 519-596-2389
