Robins in the Dogwood

The fruits on the Pagoda Dogwood bush on the south side of the house are ripening. And every year the robins find them around now. They continue to eat them until they are gone, much later in the fall. I suspect that by September there is some sort of intoxicating effect. But now they are bringing the young ones to the bush and teaching them how to get to the berries. Each bird lands on the roof nearby and moves over to the gutter just above the shrub. They look around, then jump, leap, fly, whatever over to a branch that still has unconsumed berries and begin to gorge themselves. If disturbed they fly away quickly. As we sit out on the deck, we hear each feeding attempt as a rustle of leaves and branches, often punctuated by the chirp of a robin - the clown bird of the yard right now.

Over the weekend, while I was weeding in the front of the garden, a red-tailed hawk swooped down and grabbed a baby rabbit just 10 feet away from me. It was spectacular.

Pictures from this week follow. This is the height of maturity for many things in the yard. At the Gala at the Gardens of the Fox Cities last weekend we bought a garden armillary that was donated to the silent auction by old friends John and Lee Parker. It will make a nice addition to our garden, and we hope they are happy that it has a good home.

The planter is doing very well, and becoming the overlowing wonder that it usually does. I should really restrain myself a little more than I do, because things really do become overwhelming by this time of year. I planted some Queen Alberta salvia just because I though the display might need a vertical element. But now, they are almost disruptive and I think I'll actually remove them even though they are the nicest salvia in the yard. Maybe I'll try to transplant them, but I doubt they will make a successful transition.

The Joe-pye weed is spectacular right now. And there are more mature plants around the yard than ever before. Maybe too many once they really get established. I hope I never come to regret the addition of this plant.

Hail Damage

Last evening's rain finished with a flurry of hail. At the time it didn't seem to be very damaging - small stones that were not overwhelming. And I couldn't see any apparent damage to the plants outside from the window inside. But tonight I can see what damage it did. I think it is likely similar to the snow load damage that is done in the winter - i.e. not of great consequence and the plants recover. But my guess is that the leaves that were damaged will never be quite the same, and that the plants will need a little extra energy to cope with the damage.

Rain Rain Go Away!

Enough is enough already. We had an inch of rain last Wednesday, another inch or so on Saturday, and tonight another 3/4 inches fell in about 1/2 hour. That is enough for now. I realize we are lucky. For the last several years we've had drought at this time of year. And it is nice not to have to water things around the yard. But it is amazing to see how high the creek is for July, and how soft the ground is, and how well the weeds are growing.

After the brief downfall this evening I took the opportunity to do a rough weeding of the vegetable garden. Got pretty muddy, but also was able to pull up some of the really big ones that seem to have grown up overnight. There are a couple of weeds that are dogging me in the gardens this year. One called Sowthistle just won't give up. And then there is the constant nagging presence of oxalis, of which is it said: "bloom once, weed for seven". I try so hard to keep any plants from blooming and setting seed. But one or more inevitably manages to make it to maturity and sets seeds that will emerge for years to come.

Catching Up

One of the biggest problems with writing a garden blog is that it is just really hard to get to writing when the garden is in full bloom. The days are so long, and there is so much to do, both in the garden and otherwise, that its difficult to find the time to write about what's going on. But here is a catch up attempt for the happenings of the last week.

The gooseneck loosestrife is about as nice as it gets right now. It is a very dramatic plant at the right time and in the right place. I don't think mine is in the right place, it is really not very noticeable where it is along the east side of the yard. This spring I used a well placed spray of Round-Up on the periphery of this clump, and I think that will be needed every year from now on. It is not as invasive as its cousin purple loosestrife, but it does have a robustness about it.

Just after deciding it should be noted in the blog, I was taking a look at the creek and couldn't get a good view anywhere except from atop the culvert. I looked down and found, much to my surprise and dismay, a purple loosestrife plant growing heartily just beneath the east opening. It wasn't "quite" in my yard, but I just couldn't let it be. Despite being tired, hot and ready for some cool lemonade and a chair in the shade, I called Bill and together we cut and dug and bagged the beast. I really hope we don't have to be fighting this invasive along with the buckthorn for the rest of our time here.

This weekend could be defined as the start of the Raspberry season. We had Mike and Mary over for dinner after a nice bike ride on Saturday, and the berries made a wonderful dessert over a little french vanilla ice cream. We will eat them daily until they are done, which won't be long enough for either of us.

I also brought in the first tomato of the season today - pretty early really. Didn't eat it yet, but can hardly wait. Dinner changed from leftovers to a stir fry when it became clear that the broccoli was in significant need of cutting. Can't let fresh broccoli go without cutting or the plants will stop producing, and there is no point in just putting it in the fridge. Gotta eat it. So we did.

The Purple Coneflowers came into full bloom this week. Last week I struggled to find a couple to put into the bouquet of flowers I bring to work each Monday, and this week they were abundant. They are so beautiful when they are new - fresh and young with the cone on top still bright and small. It will elongate and harden over the next several weeks, though the plants will still be attractive for awhile. All of the prairie natives are maturing now, though the gloriosa daisies are still the garden stars.

We had two inches of rain over the last week, quite something for mid July. It really is nice to have a year of enough rain for a change. I hardly know what to do. Things grow so well that there is no need to walk around with the hose, but cutting plants back is more necessary than usual. Had to tie up the Tamarisk, and cut back the lower branches of the Magnolia today. It was so hot that it was difficult to be outside working for more than a couple of hours.

The little black cat is closer to becoming a part of the family. Kate and Cleo may not be entirely sold on the idea, but Grace has been living in the upstairs bathroom for the last several days. The vet gave her a clean bill of health, but she is older than we thought - at least a year, maybe more. Integration will be a long process.

Summer Weekends Too Few

Ah, this is what it's all about. A beautiful weekend in mid summer, the yard looking wonderful, and needing just enough attention to let me have some hours of enjoyable gardening, without needing so much as to require our complete attention the whole weekend.

We started at the Downtown Appleton Farmer's Market on Saturday. Picked up some local strawberries and, of course, some spring rolls for breakfast. Then made our way to three sites on the annual Garden Walk (for the Emergency Shelter) by car. Got home by 11 or so, and took to our bikes for the last three gardens, finishing at the Fox Valley Technical College, which we ride around often, but haven't ever taken the time to really see the gardens close up. We were still going strong, so we took off to the Fox River Mall to pick up some niacin and stop for a quick Orange Julius.

When we got home, Bill decided that he should begin the installation of another stone wall, this one across the front of what had been the tricorn garden until the blue spruce tree grew so large as to engulf it and change its shape. So now, with the remains of the stones that we bought a year ago for the front garden, he is extending the linear theme of the front yard. He finished Sunday afternoon, and it looks great. We still have 20 stones left to find a home for.

The yard is just so nice right now. I think this is the perfect time.

I spent Sunday cutting the flowers that had been blown over, spraying weeds around the yard, and generally "puttering". I clipped the mallow from the back of the Asclepias - Butterfly Weed plant. It is in full bloom now, and I must admit it is my favorite plant. I wait so long and with so much hope to see the tiny sprouts in the spring. And just as I am about to give up hope, it springs back and then grows so strongly into such a robust plant that I can hardly believe I ever doubted.

A small black cat has been flirting with me for the last few days. Just a week after we buried Smoke, this one is appearing from the woods much as he did 15 years ago. Tonight she even let me pick her up, though she would much preferred to keep eating the food I brought out for her. We will need to decide what to do about her.

This seems to be the year of the compass plant. Mine is larger and stronger than I have ever seen it, and there are at least two new plants that are looking pretty mature. I gave one away in the spring - I think to Patti. And I've heard that others who grow them have found them to be impressive this year. It's pretty, but a bit agressive, and if it continues to take space like this I may have to find other accommodations for it.

Mid July Slowdown

This is the time of year for garden shows and garden walks. And it is also, in my yard, a time when things seem to slow down a little. And also, the insect damage is becoming clear. In order to have my yard ready for any such show in the future, I will need to pay more attention to gardening in June - fertilizer, water, insect control of some sort, etc. Don't want to get too involved in chemicals, but just more vigilant in detecting early damage and nutrient needs and dealing with them appropriately.

For example: the impatiens on the front porch are not blooming as well as they were earlier. The alyssum in several places isn't really filling out, likely due to some sort of insect. Several things throughout the yard, daisies, some conflowers and some others have round dead tissue dots on the top leaves and flower buds. I'll have to inspect them closer to be sure what the problem is, but it is almost certainly insects of some sort.

Both of the hibiscus plants on the deck are getting the yellow lower leaves that have plagued my hibiscus always. I don't know what the problem is. Other deck planters are doing well. I'm always amazed how the big planter does. When I plant it and show it to Bill, his reaction is usually something on the order of "huh?" It just doesn't look like much. But the plants I use are the ones that love the hot, dry days of late June and by July they are beginning to fill the entire planter, and by August they will be dramatic for sure. The elephant ears are amazing.

The tamarisk is coming into it's most beautiful time. If you keep it in check it rewards with a graceful airy presence. Just try not to think about what it is doing to the Grand Canyon and other areas of the Southwest where it is a terrible invasive and unwelcome newcomer. Their version or our Buckthorn.

Summer is in full Swing

It was a beautiful morning today (writing on Sunday evening), despite the fact that I have come down with a cold and that Smoke is dying. He has stopped eating and drinking, and is just stopping everything. Doesn't seem to be in pain, but it is hard to watch him and be so helpless.

We expect some rain today or tonight or maybe tomorrow, and we really need it. Yesterday, driving down to Baraboo to meet friends Tom and Bea, we saw the damage done by flooding all over the middle of the state. There were empty lakes, overfilled rivers and streams, barren fields, piles of gravel and sand where they didn't belong, and long detours. But we need rain here - we are seeing almost the same dry July that we've had for several years. It would be nice to have a summer of adequate moisture.

The clematis on the gazebo is blooming beautifully right now. It makes a pretty view from the deck. And the Heuchera - Coral Bells - beneath the front yard birch tree is lovely. Much of the rest of the yard is coming into its full growth, though a little rain and some real heat would really push them into full growth.

Blooming this week for the first time: Shasta Daisies, one Purple Coneflower (despite the fact that they are in bloom profusely all over the city,) Gloriosa Daisies, butterfly weed (Aesclepsis), Coreopsis (maybe they were starting last week..),the new hydrangeas on the east side of the house, Monarda, hostas, Tiger Daylilies, ajuga, and more that I've probably forgotten. In full glory are the Stella d'Oro lilies, various clematis, most of the annuals, delphinium, heuchera (but not the red ones leading up to the front door), margaurite daisies, and, again, some I've likely forgotten.

5 days away and what a difference...

We left for a conference last Wednesday and left the yard well tended and in the care of neighbors. It never fails to amaze me how much and how fast things grow at this time of year. In the winter we can go weeks with no real change, but in June things change almost before your eyes, and certainly a great deal is different when you go away for 5 days and come back.



When we left we had just gotten everything planted and settled in. Now it seems to be well established. The tiny rabbits that seem to be all over the yard are consuming things every day, but even they can't keep up with the amount of growth that is going on.When we got back the grass needed cutting, and I had a pretty full day dragging the compost container around the yard and filling it over and over with the spent flowers of the columbine, the fully blooming flowers of the lambs ears that needed to be removed before they set seed, and various other things gone past their prime. Almost all the tulips are ready to be plucked out, the terrible weeds are few and easily identifiable.



A technique that I use to identify the weeds easily is possibly indicative of my personality: I scan the garden I'm working on and hope to find perfection. Inevitably, something that just isn't right sticks out and becomes all I can see. It is usually a weed, and I can take care of it. This tendancy leads me to be pulling and cutting out weeds pretty much any time I walk around the garden seeking perfection that is never quite there. But it serves me well in getting closer and closer.