As we all look out at sleet, ice and snow this week, I thought we could look at the bright side of cold weather and the benefits of it for your garden. Take heart. The ice and snow will move out soon. Nothing lasts forever, including bad weather.
I hope to add a chuckle to your weekend by showing you a picture of a pollinator-eating animal. The nectar of this Red Hot Poker perennial (Knifophia) seems to be a treat for the Ethiopian wolf. It is the first time a species has been discovered as eating fruit and becoming an unexpected pollinator. Maybe we should include this bloom as an aperitif, a steamed side dish, or at least a secret ingredient in our stuffing this holiday.
As I revel in these warm days of early November, I find myself wondering if the blooms on flowers are more vibrant than they were a month ago? ”I have checked the web for articles on bloom colors being more beautiful with late cooling temperatures. I can’t find much on the web, but my brain knows its true!
If you are heading north as far as Maine this summer you may want to take a side trip off the coastal highway toward Boothbay Harbor to see the the gardens at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Cooler temperatures this far north give you a fresh look at perennials
I wanted to write a short blog on the exceptional beauty of this Spring as plants flower and fruit. I think 27” of rain in the past 4 month is the primary reason. Plants have had so much water infiltrating the ground, that its roots can go deep.