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....