With the first day of June comes the start of the long, long daylight hours and warmth that push growth on all plants in the garden and landscape. Then too, rainfall has been adequate as just last Friday one and one fourth inches of rain had fallen in a 30 minute storm. Tests of the irrigation water have seen a low level of soluble salts which indicates a plentiful supply of fresh life-giving rain water to the irrigation pond.
While the annual flower greenhouse winds down, the perennial house is winding up as more and more stock comes into readiness. June is Perennial Gardening month and with good reason as many varieties of late spring plants come into their own. By early next week our huge pots along the entrance driveway will be planted and placed as we try some new varieties of flowers. A change in hanging baskets on the Owl Barn is the sun-loving begonia which will thrive in the hot sun or part shade. No doubt will the humming birds visit the large driveway pots as last year to retrieve the ever recharging nectar in the flowers exploding into bloom.
Weed control is about finally under control as many have been hand pulled and/or sprayed with a Glypsophate a.k.a. “Roundup” in the more open areas and the result will be not a complete elimination of weeds but weeds that are at least few and far between. Many summer projects are on the board from some renovation in Wolf Creek Botanical Garden to the small Gazebo Garden behind the store building. So much to do and maybe not enough time.
Tom