Summer in Maine
Summer in Maine is short and sweet, we try to make the most of it by spending as much time outside as possible. The Fourth of July is spent at the lake with our neighbors, swimming, boating, watching the parade, eating chicken BBQ from the local fire dept….a perfect day all around.
What are you plants to celebrate the Fourth of July?
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Red Dragon Corkscrew Witch Hazel
I have a running list of plants that I want to add to the garden. Of course I could mail order them, or most likely find them at a big box store, but I like to support small independent greenhouses. When I spot one of the plants I want when I’m visiting a small shop, I buy it. Two weeks ago, I stopped at my local hardware store and spotted a ‘Red Dragon’ corkscrew witch hazel.
This is a plant I’ve been wanting for quite a few years, but haven’t spotted it anywhere. I was so happy to see it at my local small hardware store. I love to support this store because they let the farmers market use their greenhouse in the winter.
At the moment, I’m thinking that this beauty is going to go into a large container and be featured in the front foundation bed on the corner. In this spot it will pick up the late afternoon sun, which beautifully highlights the deeply colored foliage. I’ll have to move another small tree from this spot, but I think the hazel will be a much better feature plant in this spot. I also want to place it where it can be a focal point and be seen daily as I come and go. I’m really looking forward to watching the beautiful plant grow into a lovely specimen.
Have you purchased any new plants recently? Where do you like to buy plants?
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Lazy Days
Now that the days are getting warmer, I find the cats lounging around the gardens quite frequently. The other day, I went outside to find Littles and Big D just lounging in the grass. It’s like they were chasing each other, got tired, and just flopped over. Which probably isn’t that far from the truth.
I hope you’re enjoying the beautiful summer weather as much as these two are.
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“Insects are less conspicuous and less glamorous than songbirds, dragonflies or hedgehogs are the foundation from which a healthy wildlife garden is built. The American word ‘bugs’ contributes to a profound misunderstanding of the importance of insects as part of the chain of life. The more varied the garden’s insects population, the healthier it will e. Without a healthy insect population, the whole food chain of birds, mammals and flowers starts to fall apart. Not only to we want more insects, we need them.”
Monty Don in Down to Earth
I love this and have always said all insects are good, even if they are one’s we don’t want to see in the garden. This week I’ve been seeing lots of insects I don’t necessarily want to see, but they’re part of the ecosystem. I’ve seen: cucumber beetles, squash bugs, mosquitoes, deer flies, but also butterflies, bees, tiny native pollinators, and so many more.
What insects are you seeing this week?
