Fall color

I love the fall garden. So much so, that I created a huge swath of new garden two years ago to accommodate more fall bloomers as well as a large iris patch.

One of my all time favorite fall bloomers is the 'sheffield' mum. This mum, pictured above, will bloom into the frost, and is one of those last flowers to be a nectar source for butterflies. It has larger flowers than the tightly budded mums you buy at nurseries come fall; and they are held on long wiry stems and make for fine bouquets. And, as I discovered last year, are fragrant. I had a bunch by my desk and they emitted a baby powder like scent.

These mums are described as a warm coral pink, or salmon, but their color alone isn't the reason I plant them. I use them to punch up fall foliage that has turned fiery burgundy, and the two look magical together. In particular, I have planted the mums near grasses that turn sunset shades, as well as the itea shrub that also has a fall blush.

They brighten up darker foliage, such as the leaves of a small Joe Pye Weed, the Eupatorium Rugosum, 'chocolate.' The flower of this plant is white - a great color in general to accent the warm tones of autumn.

Other fall favorites are flowering kale interspersed, sweet autumn clematis (blooming now) and 'autumn joy' sedum. Asters, grasses, liatris, goldenrod, and anemone, are also fine choices to infuse the ailing August garden beyond summer. One of my favorite asters is 'purple dome' which is a dwarf, doesn't need to be pinched back, and is a rich, royal purple. This dramatic aster is beautiful with 'autumn joy' and especially striking with flowering kale.

Continue to spray plants afflicted by powdery mildex, like phlox, lilac, and bee balm. And do be afraid to chop off powdery mildew (except lilacs, you don't want to lob off spring bloomers).

Annuals can extend your fall garden, as well. Snapdragons, pansies, bachelor's buttons, lobelia, petunias, and nasturiums all get a burst of energy in the cool weather.

With fall color in the outlaying shrubs that do a double duty as spring bloomers, like viburnum, itea, or even 'wine and roses' weigelia, and you have the bones already in place by the time fall arrives. Trees such as 'satomi' dogwoods also offer stunning displays of fall foliage, as well as spring flowers.

Also consider the colorful ruffles of heuchera for the fall - with a rainbow of colors, this foliage plant is a sure hit for all seasons. And the tiny bell shaped blooms do attract the hummmers!

Remember that perennial mums, true investments like the 'sheffield' mum are best planted in the spring. Mums are also divided well in the spring. But the time to enjoy them are now.

Caryopteris

It doesn't exactly trill off the tongue - caryopteris. In fact, it sounds like some sort of rapacious dinosaur. It's common name, blue mist shrub, or even bluebeard, fits this delightful fall bloomer much better.

Blooming now, the little powder-puff blue blossoms are brightening my ailing garden (it would look great next to the blue-green leaves of the iris, but I have to cut those into fan shapes to clip off the borer damage).

And the bees and butterflies are buzzing around this shrub, which is airy, small, with wiry-looking stems that branch out in a not-unattractive shape. The leaves are very tiny, and I believe aromatic.

It is a shrub that would benefit from something solid behind it, and punched up with complementary or contrasting color, such as yellow, or orange, making this shrub, which blooms into fall, a great little addition to any garden.

Some cultivars have deeper blue flowers that are a near striking purple, such as 'dark knight.' Depending on the cultivar, bloom time can vary, as well.

I have mine near itea shrubs, which ignite to provide that contrast, as well as the cheerful 'sheffield' mums of salmon pink. As a trio, they create a caravan of color and texture for fall excitement.

Autumn is one of my favorite seasons, and keeping the garden going until the last frost (hello snapdragons, etc.) can be a fulfilling hobby after retreating indoors during the blazing heat of summer. Now is the time to reclaim your garden!

Baptista, plant it and be content!

I had long admired the cobalt blue flowers of baptista, as well as their graceful, arching habit and handsome, grey-green leaves.

Then I planted three, and had planter's regret. While plant tags do warn you to give it room, it is difficult to imagine that this plant will truly spread, stand tall, and isn't really that showy, after all.

The flowers are pretty while in bloom, but they are tiny, aren't cut flowers, aren't fragrant, and aren't useful to wildlife or have a change of season with the leaves. All of the above traits are usually considered by me, but, blinded by some winter blues, in they went!

My mother had the same experience, and vowed to take hers out of her garden, as well. Over the long weekend, she stopped by to greet me, only to find me flushed, sweaty and annoyed.

"Good luck digging out the baptista," I said, not bothering with a greeting. When one gardener greets another in a garden, pleasantries are dispatched and the task at hand is evaluated.

In one hand I clutched a saw that folds into itself like a compact comb. It was an impulse buy at Job Lot, and is now a bit rusty, but it has been truly useful - especially when daunted by such a task as the one in front of me.

"You can't dig it out by the roots?" my mom asked. "No," I said, "I had to use this thing - it was like sawing off a molar of Kronos." She was dismayed.

But the empty cavities left me a place to pop in some white phlox to give the autumn blushes of my garden some punch, and I'm pleased I went through the aggravation.

Don't get me wrong, I still like baptista, but only if I had the right spot, a pathway that the plant could wend along - this is a plant that is a perfect perennial shrub.

Monarchs

When I heard P. Allen Smith describe orange as a "quarrelsome"color in the garden - that it doesn't get along with other colors, I laughed.

It is true that orange doesn't mix well with the most popular hues we love in gardens: combined with pink, for example, the sight is akin to the clanging of two pot lids. Awful. In some cases, orange can be a high contrast for deep purple.

However, the only orange flower I own is milkweed (asclepias) because it is a Monarch caterpillar host plant.

I planted it next to a yellow butterfly bush to assure the butterflies would find the plant they lay their eggs on with ease. Mother nature did the rest, and every year, to my delight (as if I had something to do with the wonder of nature) I can spy the vivid yellow and black striped caterpillars munching happily away.

I cannot find, hard as I look, where they create their emerald green pupae, though. Now that will be a grand day!

Worrying about them, though, is pointless. The caterpillar is savvy. The juices from the butterfly weed makes them poisonous to birds, which avoid preying on both the caterpillar and the butterfly. That is why Painted Ladies mimic the Monarch in design - they are trying to trick the birds.

This year was an especially glorious season for butterflies, and I had beautiful black swallowtails much of the summer.

Butterflies need a complete habitat. While the butterfly bushes are wonderful, they also need early bloomers and host plants. To attract and track butterflies in Connecticut, visit the Connecticut Butterfly society, www.ctbutterfly.org.


September is the time Monarchs make their great migration to Mexico, and each year the CBS has a field day at Hayley Farm in Groton. There, children can capture various butterflies to examine them before they leave for the winter. The field trip is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, Hayley Farm, Groton. For more information, (860) 859-1326.

One sure way to attract these majestic butterflies to your yard, is the butterfly weed. Look for it in garden centers. If orange is too quarrelsome, try the pink or white variety. I wish I had.

Fall divisions and some fall favorites

I was at a garden center the other day and my neighbor, who is an equally fanatic gardener, said she wanted some of my daylillies to divide. She was also coveting my phlox, which is crowding out my garden bed - and to have someone thin them out would actually be a great favor to me!

But now isn't the time to dig up garden phlox that is a late summer bloomer. Springtime is better - especially when the weather is mild and misty. That is beautiful transplanting weather.

However, there are some spring bloomers that can be divided and put into gardens now.
Generally speaking, if it blooms in the spring, dig and divide in the fall. Likewise, fall bloomers, like mums, are best taken up in the spring (in fact, if you want mums to flourish in general, buy them in the spring). I once made the mistake of ignoring a seasoned nursery man (Wayne Paquette, Quakin' Grass Nursery, Brooklyn) and planted my favorite mum, 'Sheffield Pink' in the fall. It's tips blackened and they died.

While many mums are available now, the ones that will are the best, and good perennials, are also available in the spring - not to say I don't have two mounds of mums that have lasted ten years and were planted...in the fall. It can be done, but it is better to do it in the spring.

These plants can be divided in fall:

Iris
Foxtail lily
Moss phlox
Oriental Poppy
Peony
Pulmonaria (lungwort)


Now is the time to also plant your iris, as well as divide them. I found a fabulous Iris farm that does mail order for the most beautiful, lush iris in unusual colors. You can contact them for a free brochure.
Their address is: www.schreinersgardens.com.

Hostas, which can be considered fall flowering, or summer flowering, are perfect to divide when their crowns are emerging.


I recently posted about my vole woes. Well, if I didn't have a horrible vole problem, I would be taking photos of one of my favorite fall bloomers: Monkshood.

Ironically, it took me years to plant it because all part of the plant are considered poisonous (ha!). So I've posted the photo above.

Another glorious fall bloomer in blue is plumbago, which is a great groundcover or dotting a stone wall. The cobalt blue flowers are tiny explosive bursts, and it also turns a nice fall red.

One other fall bloomer that is a must in my garden (again being attacked by voles) is snakeroot, or bugbane. It likes shade, and is fragrant, being the last attractor of hungry butterflies and hummers.

One last thing -my neighbor, who works at the garden center, spray painted the spent heads of an astilbe bright blue. It's a tact I've only read about and was quite startling. Other dried flower heads can also get bursts of color from a spray can, such as hydrangea.

I'll check in later with some of my fall favorites to share.

Meanwhile, Happy spray painting!

Hibiscus....and sawflys

A couple of posts ago I was bemoaning my end of summer garden. It is true I look forward to the flush of fall, the color, and the cooler temperatures.

And, if it hadn't been for a pesky little bug, I would be enjoying the tropical beauty of hibiscus right now, just when my garden needs swaths of those blowsy blooms. I always marveled at how easy it was to grow those show-stopping, exotic flowers that can grow as large as dinner plates and make others marvel.

But, like many other gardeners, I abandoned growing hibiscus because I didn't have the patience to control the hibiscus sawfly larvae.

Trust me, once sawfly find your hibiscus, they will return every year, and since they can hatch six generations in one season, if you don't attack them at the get-go, before you know it, your hibiscus leaves are stripped to a skeleton shape.

And they are hard to see - the green worms hide on the underside of leaves, and once you spot them you will also notice the sawflies buzzing about. They resemble black flies with a dash of orange on their head area - does a fly have a head?

I did wage a war on my potted hibiscus for a while, smushing the bugs by hand because I loath to use insecticides.

Such a natural approach is good if you are not squeamish and have all the time in the world. Some gardeners make the mistake of using BT for caterpillars, but these are not caterpillars.

Instead, it is recommended to use an insecticidal soap, or spinosad. Be sure to spray when it is below 85 degrees.

I found an excellent break-down on the sawfly problem by googling the bug and University of Connecticut, and a pdf popped up. Here is how to get at it: www.ct.gov/caes/lib/caes/documents/.../fact.../hibiscussawfly.pdf.

There are some hibiscus, thankfully, which are being bred to be more resistant to the sawfly: H.acetosella, H. aculeateus and H. grandiflora.

I adore hibiscus, and I miss the flowers so much I might just do another round with the plant - although I admit one thing that kept me from putting out a pot this year was my excuse that they lack fragrance and do not benefit any wildlife - aside sawflies, of course. Now I'm kicking myself for being such a snob.

Meanwhile, I have to determine what type of caterpillar is attacking my petunias. And flowering tobacco.

The garden blues

Right now I admit to a bit of frustration with my garden.

The hot, dry spell has been good for a David Austin rose, Jude of the Obscure, which resents rain - causing the roses to curl up in a ball.


It is a lovely rose, with a wonderful scent, but sadly, I can't make this rose last in a vase. David Austin roses are a passion of mine - their website is www.davidaustinroses.com

But my other roses are ailing, and I'm so tired of them I am ignoring them. They appear to be stricken with mites - the whole row of them - and the blooms brown, the stems blacken, and they are an ugly sight. I never had time to baby them with the Bayer fertilizer/bug repellent combo.

Next year, is what I think when I cast my eye around many eyesores right now. By the way, now is the time to stop fertilizing roses.

To add to my woes, a vole has discovered my magical woodland oasis under my oak tree. It has now chomped through the root systems of a curved border of hosta, and is now attacking my fragrant hosta, 'Guacamole.'

I hate that little vole, and as soon as I have time, it will meet its demise.

One critter repellent I can vouch for in terms of deer is Plantskyyd (www.plantskydd.com). Be forewarned it comes out bright red, it is ox blood, bound to horticultural oil. And it stinks. Not only will it keep deer away, it will also keep you away!

My plan this weekend is to dig up my prized fragrant hosta - truly, 'Guacamole' smells like jasmine - and pot it up until I can rid myself of the vole.

The trouble is, I have pity for even the worst pests, and I would prefer to chase the vole away than pour something like poison in the hole, so I will be searching for a solution that saves my plant and salves my conscience.

I do look forward to cooler weather to weed in (the weeds are getting the best of me, for now) and the gorgeous fall bloomers.

Somehow, these dog day of summers is hard on the garden - so many of my favorites have gone by - this is the time you wish you had planted 100 dahlias!

Magnolia in the Summer!

I love magnolias. And I have waited about five years to purchase the special one - one that will bloom not in early spring, but later in the season.

I was first attracted to a friend's magnolia, 'Edith Bogue' because I happened to catch one of its large, white blossoms that intermittently bloom throughout the summer. Not only was it huge, it had a wonderful lemon fragrance and shiny, dark green leaves that reminded me of hollies - only larger, and not serrated.

'Edith Bogue' is one of the southern magnolias that bloom a bit later than the ones we usually see in early spring, the saucer type with bright pink blooms. I do like those magnolias, too, but I find they bloom so early, you can't enjoy them as much.

Besides, warm weather diffuses scents better - my uncle has such a magnolia like that soaring at least forty feet near his doorstep, but he lives in Maryland and can really appreciate the sweet scent it offers.

So for us northern folks, a magnolia that blooms later - then intermittently, can make sense if you are seeking the fragrance magnolias offer. I happen to also love the cool white flowers that span four to five inches.

This spring (only plant magnolias in spring) I found not 'Edith Bogue' but another delightful variety, 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' at a Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden ( see earlier post).

When I bought it, the owner, Dick Jaynes, promised it would be fragrant, but had actually never seen it bloom, as he sells them before they do so. He asked me to let him know.

I planted the small tree in a sheltered area, carefully placing it in partial sun - not too much to scorch it, but quite a bit to make it bloom, with other, larger trees around to provide windbreak.

It is thriving, and I seemed to wait about three weeks for a very plump bud to finally break open. The fragrance was indeed lemon-like, but also had a touch of what I guess is a clean, linen smell. It was very refreshing.

And I had the most curious experience when peering into the large cup - a bee, wriggling in frenzy, was rolling in the pollen! I had never seen anything like it before.

The bloom lasted a mere two days, but was well worth the wait. Now I know, come late spring, I will have a bevy of blooms.

One of the noteworthy features of 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' is the fuzzy brown underside of the leaves, which the deer find distasteful. The leaves are evergreen, but I hear that they do shed, and require a clean-up.

While I've read they do not shed as much as other Southern magnolias, I'm sure I'll find the chore well-worth the beauty of this magnificent tree.

Love Hummers?

I first fell in love with the delicate beauty of hummingbirds while in Vermont on my honeymoon. The magical birds buzzed very boldly up to feeders mounted to the windows of a dining room inn my husband and I stayed at.

But I also think I recall sitting, dazed, as a child, in my grandmother's colorful, tropical garden in Santa Barbara as they darted amongst fuschia plants. That tender link that exists between a spiritual world and early childhood will ever be remembered with those tiny birds as the enchanting element that made me feel as if I were in a magical place.

At any rate, it seemed fitting that while I was on vacation in Vermont several weeks ago I would come across a book that had just the right mix of magnificent photos of these birds as well as detailed information. It took me only an hour to read it, cover to cover.

Titled "Amazing Hummingbirds" the color photos by Stan Tekiela are simply staggering if you are fond of hummers.

One of the intriguing things about hummers is their fleeting appearances. That's what makes seeing one so momentous, even if it is the third time that day - rarely do you get a sustained, close glimpse; although I have managed some with a window mounted feeder.

Still, I could never peer into a hummer's nest, see the eggs, and the way in which the mother feeds the baby. And I've never been so close as to see a tuft of yellow pollen resting at the base of their needle-like beak.

These are the things you can see in the book - and the facts that you learn are equally amazing. Even though I had a healthy dose of respect and curiosity about the birds from the start, the more I found out the more I discovered their ingenuity and the wonder in which God has created all things, great and small.

I admire their nests, which always blend in with the limb it is constructed on - with little bits of lichen meticulously matching the tree. And the interior of the nest is made with spider webs, so that the nest, which is obviously tiny, will expand as the babies are born.

And I find it stunning that a preying mantis can lurk on the branches of flowers in wait for hummers, capturing them unawares and ultimately piercing their chest with their spiny foreleg to eat the dainty bird. Bullfrogs also capture hummers with the flick of their tongue as they sit by the edge of water.

Creating a back-yard habitat for these birds is a fun and rewarding hobby - and not that difficult to do.

Find a spot that is protected by other trees where the hummers can dart back to so they can swoop in to eat feeling secure. A birdbath where they can clean themselves; ideally with a spray is what they prefer. They are even known to buzz through sprinklers.

Hummers do like red - but that isn't the only flower they will feast on. They are particularly fond of black and blue salvia, which has very sticky nectar. They will find corals, purples and pink. Anything with long, tubular flowers they will find - but creating the right spot is just as important as flower choices. So if you don't like red and orange - don't despair, you can still find plenty to keep the hummers coming.

Here are a few plants I find they like - Crocosmia, Lucifer's Red, Canna Lillies, petunias, salvia, butterfly bushes, honeysuckle, bee balm, cardinal flower, phlox, coral bells. Early bloomers are important too: azaleas, columbine and flowering quince provide nectar when the summer bloomers are not out yet.

Keep your sugar water clean and they will find it - food coloring is a no-no. The formula is one part sugar to four parts water.

Hummers also enjoy a bit of protein - they will nibble on spiders and aphids. So, like anything else, insecticides and pesticides interrupt the important ecological balance that is necessary for all living things.

Some fun hummer facts:

• They can fly sideways, hover and even go upside down! Their courtship flights are elaborate, with one species flying as high as 120 feet. But once the birds mate, they separate. They are singular birds.

• For all their delicate ways, they are aggressive birds. They will starve to death within a matter of hours without eating (3-5) so they defend their feeding grounds. They chase away everything from bees to woodpeckers quite larger then themselves.

• The average hummer must consume more than its own body weight of nectar daily. They feed about 7-8 times per minute.

• Hummers have the largest heart in proportion to its body compared to other birds. Its resting heart rate is 500 beats per minute.
  

There is so much more in this book! It is a fascinating read and beautiful keepsake to boot. There are a few myths it also puts to rest: Hummers will not stop from migrating if feeders are left out. They also migrate by themselves - they do not hitch rides on other birds.

To check out the book, visit www.naturesmart.com.

Lavender Fields Forever!

Have you ever seen the fields of Provence in a haze of purple?

I never have, and wonder if I will ever get to see that sight in my lifetime.

But last weekend, I had the opportunity to visit Fort Hill Farms in Thompson, where I gazed upon 500 lavender plants in full bloom.

I will never forget the moment, which I shared with my own mother, making it extra special, of course. The aroma was almost spiritual, the fragrance sweet and spicy, somehow providing a sense of calm and clarity amidst the stifling humidity.

Bees staggered in the hot air, happily drunk on nectar.

I learned much about raising lavender plants - including the fact they do not like watering! The three keys to growing this plant truly means creating a micro-climate in your garden: stony soil (or no soil) lots of calcium provided by shells, and protective enclosures. At Fort Hill Farm, owner Kristin Orr has planted her lavender labyrinths under a stone wall that was a foundation, and inside another old foundation. Not only does the stone heat up the fragrant oils, it offers protection from the bitter winds and cold that New England dishes out.

The lavender at Fort Hill is all-organic, meaning it can be purchased for culinary uses. This Wednesday they will be opening their creamery, offering not only fresh ice-cream, but lavender jelly as well for topping - plus lavender cookies!

Visiting Fort Hill Farms is more than a tourist destination, it is a true gardener's delight, as it also contains more than 70 garden beds that myriad butterflies flit about in. Orr planted the beds to provide perennial plants right out of the ground to customers when her husband, Peter, wanted to start a nursery.

The above plants are photos taken in the "Quintessential Gardens." I'll add the lavender photo soon.

Orr, who is an energetic, outgoing, funny woman passionate about farming, could not keep the plants in a pot. It seemed to go against her spirit.

It is wonderful to see the gardens in full bloom in the beds. Not only do you see the plants you covet, but you get ideas, too.

Mine was how wonderful the white scabiosa would look weaving in and out of other plants. Both airy and white, it would provide a nice resting spot for the eye and provide expansive bursts of white to connect the other plants to each other, as well as offer bright, reflective bursts that only white can.

Gardeners can deploy white much like a painter does on the canvas. Trust me, gardening is as close to ANY artwork I'll ever be able to create.

In the fall, the farm segues into selling pumpkins, and a six-acre corn maze, always in an agricultural theme, keeps families busy and entertained while in the country! Imagine video games and game boys pushed to the sidelines, if only for a few hours!

I was fascinated to hear that Kristin Orr does not water her garden, which contains plants I consider not very xeric - such as phlox.

I admired her greatly for her work on the foundation wall that is twelve feet tall. To ward off poison ivy, she planted succulents, making a "living wall" that now possesses its own character, softened with plants that trail and offer color.

The farm will be open until Nov. 8, sun-up to sundown, but the lavender will be in bloom only until the end of July. For more information, www.forthillfarms.com

Take a trip to Thompson for a lavender excursion - while I still want to visit Provence, and the great museums of Europe, I am equally thrilled to see the labor of love one woman created "out in the middle of nowhere."

Beware of Horse Nettle

If you see this weed in your garden do not touch! The spiny stems of horsenettle will prick, and some people will develop allergic reactions.
It is quite painful, and if you have this on your property it is best to dig up with a trowel, getting all the roots. Careful to use gloves that won't let the prickers get to your skin!
Is anyone else tired of wilting hydrangeas and trudging around with a hose?

Daylilies

Daylilies are finally starting to bloom with their cheerful faces, officially heading the garden into the heat of summer.

I have to admit I'm not a huge daylily fan, but my mother-in-law is, and when she designed my initial garden, she planted them by a fence, and they are a wonderful, carefree plant that don't require much - and gives a long bloom period.

What has lovers of daylilies pleased are the re-blooming varieties that will keep the garden going right through summer.

I like daylilies like the peach one above. Paired with Russian Sage, the peach makes for a stunning combination. I would also consider them for an area that is a slope, as they do make and excellent cover, squeezing out weeds. Weeding is not a problem with a hearty planting of daylilies.

And some varieties are fragrant, too; although not highly - daylily aficionados feel free to correct me here!

I have a lemon-colored variety from my mother that does have a lemony fragrance. It has gotten out of bounds, and after you have daylilies for several years, dividing will be necessary if you aren't using it as a cover - but you'll have some to share with friends or spread around your garden!

I do enjoy going to daylily farms, and in our area there are several. One is Blue Flag Farm in North Stonington, where 600 varieties of daylilies are on view. Some are in beds so visitors can see how they pair with other plants. The farm is a pleasant outing, and a must for daylily lovers.
They will be open July 19 and 20 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and do sell their plants. They are also open by appointment.

I think the charm of farm can speak for itself: http://daylily.net/gardens/blueflagfarm/

For people who like daylilies and hostas, R. Sea Wright Gardens in Carlisle, Mass., is another speciality place, also selling 600 varieties that they will dig up fresh for gardeners.

Their web address is: http://www.daylilies-hostas.com/

Nature in the garden

Much of what I've been doing these last couple of years is finding plants that will attract nature. Things like butterflies, birds, and of course hummingbirds ( they LOVE black and blue salvia).
But sometimes we don't like the nature our gardens attract.

Like slugs....these rainy days have been a true slug fest. I kept plucking them off a container arrangement and still can't figure out how they climbed up the rough surface of the planter.

To rid yourself of slugs, use diatomaceous earth, which is an abrasive powder that impales the tender body of slugs.

Another way to battle slugs is to place shallow dishes (I use small plastic plates) around the area they like to munch on. They love beer, and will drown themselves in it. Personally, I find this the most humane way of dealing with them.

This year, robin's made a nest in my honeysuckle vine growing on a trellis outside my patio. And again, some wrens have made a nest in one of my planters, which is difficult because I have to water around the nest!

Snakes are also part of gardening, and I try hard to overcome my fear; although copper heads have been known to be in my area. I also know that black snakes can be aggressive, and bite.
I let them alone, and hopefully they will do the same.

I also have bunny rabbits and I would be rather not know what they are munching on - they are so cute. Whenever I water, they hop out of the bush they seem to be hiding in. It seems to be a predator sound for them, the hissing of the water coming out of the hose.

Beautiful goldfinches have been flitting about; they like many flowers, from zinnias to sunflowers to the dried seed heads of cone flowers.

While I have a little less than an acre, it seems my property is teeming with wildlife - I even saw an owl perched outside on an oak tree this winter.

Much of what I've learned to keep wildlife happy has come from the advice of the National Wildlife Foundation, which encourages gardeners to create what they call backyard habitats. It isn't that difficult, and as suburban sprawl continues to encroach on their habitats, it is important to think about create wildlife friendly yards.

Check them, and their tips, out at www.backyardwildlifehabitat.info

Kousa Dogwoods

My son had a singing concert in New London last weekend and I plucked a very large, creamy white kousa dogwood blossom and tucked it behind my ear. Both my son and husband thought I looked Spanish. I was simply having fun, and even braved Blockbuster with the bloom sprouting out of my ear.

I never knew, though, that not all kousa dogwoods weren't created equal. The blossoms I have on my tree are much smaller. I envy the very large, white flowered variety, as well as the new 'Satomi' kousa dogwood my mother got that flowers in pink. If gardeners have had problems with the anthracnose disease hitting their Cornus florida dogwoods, a Kousa dogwood is an excellent replacement, and can even be planted in the same spot.

If you are considering a dogwood for your home, you couldn't be thinking of a more lovely tree - but do read up on the varieties. Some have a flush of fall color, some have variegated leaves, some weep, and some, as I've found, have huge, floppy flowers that make quite a show.

Dogwoods create a beautiful, vase like shape and arch outwards, and are a nice extension to spring-flowering trees such as crab apples. They are also considered a good understory tree, as they look quite pleasing when viewed from above. Ours is out in the yard, where we have a clear view of it from our deck.

One thing I have noticed about Kousa dogwoods that I would like to share is their sporadic yearly blooming. For some reason, these small trees are genetically wired to put on a display every other year ~ on their off year, the blooms are more sparse, and may not even occur at all. I recall one year both my neighbor and I were wondering what happened to our dogwood blooms, blaming the weather, the first culprit in any gardener's mind. Then I found out from a nursery-man that they were wired to really put on a show every other year.

If you are content with that, dogwoods are a very beautiful tree for your property. They do not become behemoths, their fruit is beneficial to wildlife, and their shape is truly pleasing.

Right now, I am itching for hydrangeas to bloom. It is all I can do to refrain myself to finding more spots for this beautiful shrub. I have my eye on 'Pinky Winky' but am truly pressed to justify getting yet another hydrangea. Another thing that gives me pause is how awful this plant looks in the winter - a pile of sticks, basically. It is best to tuck these away from major sightlines for this reason.

One quick tip in cutting those beautiful hydrangea blossoms I can share is to plunge the heads in cool water to elongate the bloom time.

If you don't get blooms on your hydrangeas, pruning could be a cause. Some hydrangeas bloom on old wood, so if they were pruned ~ unfortunately that will lob off your blossoms. Also, in our cold zones, the buds can freeze if they bloom on old wood, that is why the newer varieties that bloom on both old and new are very desirable.

Hart's Greenhouse and Florist has a sale on hydrangeas - buy two, get one free. Oh, so tempting....

Historic Gardens, flower arranging and valerian

Connecticut's 14 historic gardens will be open to the public June 27, and I have made a vow to visit at least one of them, most likely the Florence Griswold gardens.
Here is a link that will give all the information on the various gardens and activities planned: http://www.cthistoricgardens.org/
There is something about the primeval quality of the Lieutenant River as the backdrop to the gentile gardens of Miss Florence that attracts me.
The museum will be celebrating their historic garden with Gardenfest, which takes place from June 11-27.
On Thursday at 11 a.m. they will also have a flower arranging course - something I hope to get to. There seem to be countless tricks on keeping things fresh and perky in the vase, and studying the elements of arranging seems like a relaxing pursuit.
As someone who grew up in a historic area, I can appreciate the ennui that one has with the beauty that surrounds us, as well as our area's legacy. But it is something to guard against.
Recently I returned to my home town, Old Mystic, and took a tour of one of the most amazing gardens I have ever seen at Kentford Farms.
What I love most about these gardens (and I mean gardens, plural) is the natural way they are designed, as well as the locale. But above all, I appreciate that they are the labor of love of two passionate gardeners, Bill Turner and Paul Coutu, who have graciously opened them up for public viewing.
Now they understand how gardening can be an obsession!
The story of Kentford Farms will be featured on Friday in the Bulletin's Coming Home section.
This can be a challenging time in the garden - the last of the beautiful spring flowers have passed, and the summer bloomers are still waiting in the wings. One plant I have found to be a stunner that stretches from spring to summer is red valerian.
I have lost my usb cable, so I don't have a photo right now of my own valerian, but I have posted one from the internet - enjoy! It is a plant worth having, and has a very unique color.

Coneflowers and Sweet Peas

Is anyone else out there befuddled by the coneflower craze?

As much as I like this hearty, simple flower, it is hard to trust all the new varieties out there. I can vouch for 'White Swan' which has thrived very well in an inhospitable area with dry, poor soil.

Yet another variety I planted, 'Fatal Attraction' is hit or miss in a more enriched bed. It has not self-sowed well.

Coneflowers are intriguing me right now - I would like to plant more en masse as they can be hearty, drought tolerant and long lasting.

And now, the varieties can offer more color than ever - in particular I have been eyeing 'Green Jewel.' I also love the brilliant corals and oranges but have yet to find a spot for them.

Poking around the internet, it seems other coneflowers to consider would be 'Fancy Frills' for its whopping five inch, semi and double petaled blooms. It is also said to be strongly fragrant, so if I can find one in a nursery, and it passes the fragrance test, I'll plant some and let everyone know how it goes.

I have been thrilled that coneflowers are being bred for fragrance. The Big Sky varieties are supposed to sport the most fragrance, and a new variety that is quite pretty for its pale blooms is 'Summer Sky,' which is rumored to be the most fragrant yet. It looks like it would be an easy flower to weave into cottage garden designs.

Coneflowers do best in sandy, well-drained loam. They like sun, but I find that the flower color can fade on some of the varieties. Deadheading prolongs bloom, and finches do like the dried seeds, so some people leave the seed heads for the birds. They self-sow when happy, so if you buy into the craze, buy cautiously, you may find you don't need to plant many.

I do have a question on sweet peas I'm going to throw out there: I can get the plants started by seed, but then they grow very slowly, and seem to peter out instead of becoming the lush climbing beauty in the catalogs.

Any tips?

Irises were beautiful!

This year, something was in the air. The bearded irises were beautiful.
I received a call two weeks ago from a woman, Phyllis Palmer, whose irises were bursting with color ~ many were so huge they needed to be staked.
Iris is one of my favorite flowers. I even created a whole new garden space in my front yard so I could put in a large iris bed.
Like Phyllis, I started the bed with bulbs given to me by family. Using bulbs that had belonged in another person's garden adds so much meaning, and history, to the experience.
Most of mine came from my great aunt's farm in Virginia, but I have added a few new bulbs that yield larger flowers. One is the near-black one that I planted to create a sort of art deco look next to a white variety, 'Immortality.'
Little did I know it would bloom later, I had yet to discover that irises have periods of bloom just like daffodils. Some are late, some are early.
Nevertheless, what did happen was an eye-popping contrast to the red valerian I planted. The photo is at the top of the blog. I admire how the carmine pink and black create a striking glow.
And that is what I love about gardening, nature always has its way, and delights you with its own plan ~ which is usually much more glorious than anything man cooks up.
In the coming weeks, look for my Coming Home article on a new, weekend-only nursery in Old Mystic, Kentwood Farms. I hear they grow 600 varieties of dahlias! The nursery is situated on vast acres, and includes five acres of public garden to roam.
I'll be visiting, and wearing my sneakers!
This weekend I will be planting small pink Queen Anne Lace plants I bought from Judy Gasparino of Preston. She had a small ad in the Bulletin, advertising her plants. Gasparino bred these beautiful pink Queen Anne Lace's with much patience, and when I visited her last year, I saw the beautiful variety of color, from maroon to pinks, that the flowers come in.
She also sells other plants from her garden, and has an honor system plant stand on Route 164, Preston. For questions, reach her at 860-889-6824.

My new blog

Welcome to my blog - or should I say, virtual garden?
Every other week, I write a gardening column for Coming Home, which is printed in Friday's paper as an insert, or as we say here, a special section.
Inevitably, I find I have more things to say, or am disappointed a particular flower I have photographed finds its way onto a page that is in black and white.
I can just feel the flowers shrinking in shame when that happens!
With this new blog, I can post away with lots of colorful photos, share tips, garden trips, and tid-bits that I come across.
I hope that this will be a venue that avid gardeners can go to so they can share their joys, successes, frustrations.
Feel free to come here to brag, bemoan and share.
Recently, I met a man who will talk your ear off on plants - which is fine with me. But when we were finished with the conversation, he quickly added - thanks for listening!
Here is the place to be, without apologies, gardening freaks.
What's Ahead in Coming Homes:
We all know the mountain Laurel is Connecticut's State Flower. But not many people know that here in Connecticut, Dick Jaynes, owner of Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden, has the largest collection of Mountain Laurel in the world.
I will write about my trip to Broken Arrow Nursery, and share tips on growing mountain laurel that Dick Jaynes gave to me.
It is thanks to Dick's breeding that we have smaller versions of mountain laurel for their home landscapes. I love laurels for their colorful blooms that burst with freckles, as well as their neat habit and evergreen foliage. Many times people are surprised to identify the plant that is right next to my driveway as a mountain laurel.
Going to Broken Arrow is an experience not to be missed for gardeners. There are no annuals or hanging baskets - this nursery specializes in trees, shrubs, perennials and the unusual.
It has a wonderful selection of magnolias, and my dream for a southern magnolia was fulfilled when my mom and sister went in together to purchase 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' for me as an early birthday present.
What can I say? Some women crave shoes, I moon over shrubs, trees, and flowers!
Broken Arrow also has many types of dogwoods, and my mother bought 'Satomi' a pink Kousa variety that has a fall flush of color.
That plant was given to her by my sister and I for her birthday - you get how we shop as a family? One stop gorging at nurseries where people's birthdays, mother's day, etc., are taken care of in one fell swoop.
Other highlights of the nursery are almost too vast to enumerate upon. Unusual perennials, especially for shade seemed to be a specialty, as were conifers.
I have posted here a photo of a lady slipper that they had for sale - less than the catalogs, I might add.
Their website is www.brokenarrownursery.com