Kalmia

Since my return from Chicago, it hasn't felt like there has been a moment of puttering aimlessly or a chance to just stroll the gardens with no purpose except to stroll. There has been much work to do for a growing list of clients, wood chips to spread, a vegetable garden to tend, bits of plumbing work being done, trim boards for beneath the front porch roof being painted (the screws were showing on my ridge caps) and lots and lots of editing. Garden tours can turn into hard core editing from the first moment.

I say it hasn't felt like there has been any puttering. The truth is there is always plenty. I spend an inordinate amount of time in the vegetable garden puttering. It gives me comfort.

These pictures were taken a couple of days ago at the end of a rainy misty day when it was a bit wet for heavy editing. Still, sometimes it might be nice if you could be a statue for a day.



The iris are finishing up. This new one was planted recently. I'll go for the Dutch iris 'Oriental Beauty'. The flower is nice, but the plant itself was a bit floppy and all the bloom stalks laid down on the ground. If I remember before it is too late, the yellow Louisiana Iris from Faire Garden were blooming and ready for their closeup.



One of the last of the bearded iris. The black iris was a no show this year.



The rhododendrons were done by the time I got back. The Mountain Laurels, Kalmia latifolia were stepping in to the void.



As is usual, there are several different colors to be found in the ridge top garden.





The peonies had a bad year. This is one of the few that reached its full splendor.



Early in the season the emerging peony stems were assaulted by caterpillars that burrowed into them and caused the tops to break off. Most of the bloom was lost. By the time it was noticed most of the damage had been done. Squishing the caterpillars was only revenge.



Next year we will have to keep a better watch on them.