Peak Season Chores in the Garden - the Three D's

Have you ever noticed that in every summer there comes a rare day or three that seem blessed? The gardens are in glorious bloom - enough to draw the ever-critical eye of the gardener away from the rough spots. The sun is shining against a bright blue sky, butterflies waft past you on a gentle breeze - and you suddenly know why you garden.

To me, every day in the garden has its little peaks - even on those days when there seem to be an equal or greater number of valleys. From the earliest day of spring when I see the snub noses of the crocuses peeking up until the day in December when the last rosebud sits frozen on a bare cane - there is always something wonderful to greet me.

But some days are better than others - and there is always at least one day when I run back indoors and tug my husband's arm until he follows me outside to take advantage of the garden at its peak.

I make a point of that - stopping to really enjoy the beauty. Walk slowly around, savoring each bloom, each lovely plant combination, and the incredibly bounteous display of plants finally reaching maturity. Close your eyes and listen to the bees buzzing, birds singing and breezes sighing through the leaves. Take your time.

Because now the work begins.

All right - I know what you're thinking. You've already been through the gigantic task known as spring clean-up. You've planted all the new arrivals, divided everything in need of division, and have been looking forward to a tranquil summer basking in the beauty of your garden.

The trouble is - if all you do is bask, that garden isn't going to be beautiful for long. There are tasks that you must perform to keep the garden looking good - or to keep it from getting out of hand. Do them regularly and they will simply be pleasant tasks that allow you to get up close and personal with your plants. Put the off and you've got a mess. Here are some of the tasks that I find essential in my own garden.

Deadheading
My daylilies are finally winding down from a particularly exuberant summer display. I have tons of daylilies that bloom over along period of time. In late spring the tiny yellow ones like all the Stellas ('Stella d'Oro', 'Elfin Stella' and 'Black Eyed Stella'), 'Forsyth's Lemon Drop', 'Dash Dash', 'Happy Returns' and more start flowering - and many of the above mentioned ones will keep going for months. The midseason bloomers and then the late blooming ones soon follow them. At peak season all may be blooming at once. And they look absolutely fabulous at peak season except for one thing.

Go To Page: 1 2 3 4 5

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic