Hidden treasures

Water is a very precious commodity. This summer has again presented gardeners with many challenges. The hot, dry spell earlier put a lot of stress on our flowers and lawns. I am lucky that much of my garden is in the shade, but even that struggled. My three rain barrels were put to good use but even those ran out. Happily, they are now full again after the recent heavy rainfall. We had 4-1/2 inches in our rain gauge and all our plants have duly responded. Our back yard grass has stayed green due to the shade provided by the surrounding trees but the front yard, along with many others in full sun, turned an ugly shade of brown. It, too, has now recovered and is beginning to grow and green-up again.

Another way to tackle a rainfall shortage is to use a soaker hose system for your special beds. The Paxton Garden Club uses soaker hoses on the plantings around town. Getting water applied close to the soil and obviously closer to the plant’s root zone is very advantageous and avoids any unnecessary evaporation or wastage. A shout-out to our watering crew who keep the town gardens looking pretty and in good shape. Some plants respond to hot dry spells better than others. The Lantana in our deck planters has really enjoyed the heat and, growth-wise, has responded accordingly. 

It’s amazing how weeds, unfortunately, continue to grow and develop in dry soil. Removing them is considerably more difficult than when the soil is moist. So, if you have a weed problem, removing them the day after the next rainfall is best and can be extremely satisfying. This not only removes competition from your precious flowers but may uncover ‘hidden treasures’ growing underneath. Some plant varieties are self-seeding and the seeds from the previous year germinate in the ground underneath. (Flagged in Photo 1.) I have recently been collecting seedlings of Brunnera, Dicentra, Primula, Gaillardia and Phlox, planting them up in small pots with the aim of growing them on for next year.

 Paxton Garden Club has an annual plant sale on the first Saturday in June and welcomes contributions of good plant material to offer to existing and new customers. I fill small pots by hand with potting compost and use a board on top of my wheelbarrow as a mobile potting table. (Collage 1.) A light watering-in after planting, followed by heavier watering as the plants grow, is a good gardening practice. Once the small seedlings grow in the correct environment, partial shade, they can be planted into larger pots and grown on through the winter to provide material for next June’s sale. There may be losses next spring but it’s amazing how perennials will over-winter in a pot-tight environment. This is regular practice in many of the large-scale perennial nurseries. Put your gardening skills to good use. Be a plant sale contributor.

Keeping our container plants alive and in good shape while we go on vacation is another challenge. Having the help of a dependable neighbor, friend or relative to take on watering duties while you’re away avoids stress and the disappointment of coming home to dead or dying plant material. With this help, your special plants live on to perform and provide continued enjoyment throughout the rest of the season.

[Collage 2]

 Assessing your garden color is important so that you can decide how to make changes, if needed, for next year. Does your plant selection attract many bees, butterflies or hummingbirds? If not, which varieties, if added, would remedy this situation? Studying our plants’ development on a daily basis can be very enjoyable and rewarding. My Echinops, with balls of blue color developing, are extremely attractive to bees. Echinacea and Anemones, to name a few others, can be a ‘hive’ of activity when in full flower. Take time to enjoy this phenomenon and see how many insects you can count. (Collage 2.)

Who doesn’t like a challenge!