
21 Sep Happy to be Back!
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Hydrangea paniculata varieties are SO hardy.
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state are “The Land of Tree Hydrangeas.” They were EVERYWHERE, all varieties. The roadsides,trails, and fields were filled with asters. Goldenrod fields, stands of wild perennial sunflowers, ironweed… it was a horticulturalists’ delight. I returned home to a garden absolutely overflowing with food. I am pleased to report that the radish and lettuce seeds I planted a week ago popped up! My broccoli is thriving under its floating row cover but the tat soi planted in the open is being eaten by cabbage moth caterpillars. Time to get out the B.T. (Bacillus thuringiensis)
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Kassie also reported damage from owlet moth caterpillars on the dahlias in the Natureworks gardens AND we found saddleback moth caterpillars (see photo on left) which really sting you if you touch them. Be careful!!
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My broccoli under floating row cover is SO perfect. My wheelbarrow garden now has escarole, celery, newly sprouted lettuce, and nasturtiums. Everything is surrounded by pollinator flowers- asters, Rudbeckia triloba, and goldenrod. Heaven.
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Fall officially arrives on Friday, September 22nd. The autumn equinox is when
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the day and night are once again equal. I am sure that, like me, you are noticing that there is a lot less time to get outside in the evening as the sun is setting so much earlier. With the changing seasons, it’s time to redecorate your porch for fall! Autumn is long and lingering in CT and provides us with so many opportunities to sit and enjoy the fruits of our labors. I am a firm believer in weaving perennials into my fall containers and then adding them to my gardens right before Thanksgiving. I especially love colorful foliage plants as added accents to marry with all the fall flowers- both annuals and perennials- that can take the shorter days and cooler temperatures of this time of year.
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Weigela ‘Tuxedo’ is reblooming. I love the crisp contrast of the near-black foliage and white flowers.
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This Thursday at 4 pm, Facebook Live will focus on Plant Marriages for Fall. I will demonstrate how to combine plants together with a focus on fabulous fall foliage. If you love plants but wish you could understand design a bit better, this 15 minute lesson should be just the ticket! Remember, if you tune in live, you can ask questions and we will answer them during the session. Otherwise, all of the Facebook Live sessions are archived on the Natureworks Facebook page. We check back for questions and comments often.
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committee came to Natureworks and shopped for new additions for the butterfly garden that is 46 feet long near the Discovery Center. Diane helped to place the plants and Natureworks donated $100 worth of plants to the effort. Now, as we tag and release the monarchs during the fair, the butterflies will have a garden to immediately begin nectaring. This is the migrating generation and they need LOTS of nectar to make it to Mexico. Do you have enough flowers for the migrating monarchs traveling past your property?
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I photographed this magnificent stand of New York ironweed (Vernonia) in the thriving rain gardens at King Arthur Flour in Norwich, Vermont. We make an annual pilgrimage each year. My husband shops, I take photos! The ironweed in my home gardens was visited by monarchs last week.
Do you have enough flowers?
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This is the second year that this Mammoth mum has been in our garden. Look at all those flowers! We have 11 varieties of our signature perennial mums on our benches right now with more to come as we restock this week.
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