Week of June 1

Rebecca Davis and Sue Meyn were back in the garden for the first time this year on Thursday. It was good to see them in the garden again. Rebecca weeded the beds along Switzer and helped Joe Harte set up the fountain. It's wonderful to hear the water again. Sue thinned bell flower and other ground covers in the Rose Perimeter and Judi Manoogian did the same near the gazebo. This is a never ending chore, but we are trying to get them under control this year. Ed Skiba planted tomatoes and some other veggies that Loni Shapiro and Vic Hudenko donated. Carol Chicci continued fertilizing roses. Vic and Carol Hudenko weeded Switzer corner. Later in the morning Vic and Sue helped Crys  Wells plant annuals in the hanging pots

The irises are blooming everywhere. I didn't realize that we had so many different colors of irises. This has been one of the best years for them; especially surprising since we found frosted buds earlier in the year. The Austrian Copper roses are blooming - they are usually the first ones to burst. We were happy to see them because the black spot was so bad last year that we weren't sure they would come back. Next week the garden should be even more lovely with all the nice rain we had on Friday.

Week of May 25

We all took a day off and enjoyed Memorial Day. Most of us were in the garden on Thursday working hard. Things are really starting to grow and we see changes every day. Ed Skiba planted two of our raised beds with CSA leftovers that Loni Shapiro donated. It was especially nice to see Loni in the garden again! Crys Wells bought annuals and Vic and Carol Hudenko helped her fill the pots in front of the house. Joe Harte brought his post hole digger and buried piping for the garden signs. Hopefully this will stabilize them better than in the past and we shouldn't have to dig new holes each year. Hope Gibbs brought new garden art for the Tea Garden and also helped to plant the sensory pots. These have been abandoned since Loni left and it's nice to get them going again. Carol Chicci started fertilizing roses and Judi Manoogian continued working on pruning and thinning in the rock garden and south of the gazebo. I started work on redesigning the drip irrigation in the Fairy Garden. Hope has transformed it so much that we decided to make a better watering plan.

Loni was so impressed with the Fairy Garden that she invited us to participate in the garden tour on July 25. I hope you can all participate and see what we've managed to do this year.

Week of May 18

We had beautiful spring weather all week and the garden is looking lovely! On Monday Carol Chicci started removing mulch from the roses. She will do only half now and then remove the rest once danger of freeze is past. Carol also thinned ground cover around the rose trellis with help from Becky Lewis and Katarina Karjala. Vic and Carol Hudenko worked on Switzer Corner and moved some transplants down there from elsewhere in the garden.

We had a big crew on Thursday. Judi Manoogian and Brenda Mitchell continued thinning ground cover and other plants growing where they shouldn't. This seems never ending, but the hard work is beginning to pay off. The remaining plants look so much better now that they aren't so crowded. Carol Chicci finished removing half of the mulch from the roses. Hope Gibbs continued her transformation of the Fairy Garden. She repainted some of our existing yard art and made new miniatures. It is so cute - you need to stop by and see it. Joe Harte set up birdbaths, benches and other hardscape. It's finally starting to look like a garden with all of our yard art in place. Ed Skiba planted the first vegetable bed ala square foot gardening. I am interested to see how it turns out. The plants are much closer than I am used to putting them. I worked on drip irrigation. There are always so many repairs after the winter. We should have everything working by next week. In the meantime, we will hope for more rain. Judi and Carol brought homemade goodies for our break time.

 The iris and clematis were especially beautiful this week. Unfortunately, we don't have pictures to post because Crys Wells was out of town. Hopefully we will have even more blooms next week.

The garden will be closed on Memorial Day May 25th. Back to normal schedule on Thursday.

Week of May 11

This week, the weather was beautiful on Monday, but rainy on Thursday. The good news is that we didn't suffer much damage from the freeze over the weekend. I usually judge spring by the gambel oaks, which had leafed out at my house. Unfortunately, it was too early for them there and they completely froze back. But they are hardy and should be fine in the long run. It must have been warmer at Olivia White because all the trees look fine.

On Monday, Carol Chicci and Brenda Mitchell weeded in the Rose Circle garden. Katarina Karjala fed and watered the irises and did some more weeding. Hope Gibbs worked in the fairy garden and Becky Lewis weeded cheat grass throughout the garden. On Thursday, we had a small and very wet crew. Carol and Vic Hudenko brought treats for us all and thinned ground cover in the North Inferno Strip. Ed Skiba worked on amending the vegetable beds and he should be planting there soon. Joe Harte trimmed some trees and finished setting up the rain barrels, which are now full. Crys Wells weeded in the House Back area while I weeded and thinned in the Half Circle Garden.

Crys took pictures of our Thursday crew.

Week of May 4

We had another good week in the Olivia White Hospice Garden. It was raining on Monday, but Carol and Vic Hudenko bravely showed up to help Becky Lewis with winter clean-up and weeding.

On Thursday, Carol Chicci finally finished pruning the roses and started on the grapes. Hope Gibbs starting bringing out the hardscape and the garden looks much livelier with all of our garden decorations in place. Joe Harte pruned shrubs and cleaned up the rain barrels. Ed Skiba brought in some lovely new garden soil and wonderful compost for the vegetable beds. We should get a good crop of veggies this year with all of those goodies for the soil. Judi Manoogian continued beautifying the rock garden area and Brenda Mitchell worked on ground cover. They are both trying to define plant space to give a more planned appearance to the garden. Many of our plants, while desirable, have taken over more than their allotted area. Crys Wells ordered the new standing vegetable bed and I starting working on the drip system.

Here are some blooms from the garden. The choke cherry is usually beautiful in the spring, but this year it seems especially showy. Two weeks ago, we thought we'd lost all of our lilac blooms because most of the buds seemed to have been killed in a frost, but this week they are back. Crys and I tried to identify the orange flower. An internet search suggests that it is helianthemum, also known as sunrose. it is supposed to be a summer bloomer, but it certainly looks good now!

Week of April 27

It's the last week of April and the garden is almost ready for spring. We've had a good crew working on raking, weeding, deadheading and thinning for the past three weeks and we can finally see the structure of the garden. In the next few weeks we will be replacing plants and filling the pots. The garden should really come alive!

Carol Chicci worked both days and finished the rose pruning. They look beautiful and we should get a good crop of blooms over the next months. On Monday, Katarina Karjala worked in the rose perimeter and Julie Holmes watered inside the house.  On Thursday, Ed Skiba showed up early to prep the vegetable beds. We should be planting there soon and will purchase a new standing bed to replace our old one, which is showing its age. Brenda Mitchell thinned and weeded along the rose trellis. I'm sure the roses will appreciate having more growing space around their roots. Judi Manoogian worked in the rock garden and it is looking totally transformed. Hope Gibbs took on the big task of thinning mint in the Fairy Garden and all the gardeners were able to take some home if they wanted. We now have room to replace some plants that were crowded out by all that mint. Hattie Braun stopped by to consult with Carol on the roses and give general advice. Crys Wells brought treats and I worked in the North Switzer bed, trying to fill in some tire tracks. I guess someone lost control coming down the hill last winter. No photos this week, but I'll post some next week. We should have lots of spring blooms to show.

Week of April 20

April 20 was our first Monday workday for the year and we had a good turnout. Julie Holmes, who kept the indoor plants watered all winter, was back. Katarina Karjala weeded and deadheaded the Moon Garden. Brenda Mitchell worked on the Rose Perimeter. Carol Chicci pruned roses. Carol Hudenko, Vic Hudenko, and Laura Davis worked on garden cleanup. With the garden just coming to life, it's a good time to review the status of plants and make plans for new plantings.

On Thursday, Hope Gibbs worked in the Fairy Garden. Hope has assumed responsibility for that garden in addition to the Tea Garden and it is definitely in need of some loving care. We will look forward to that transformation. Judi Manoogian wants to take on the Rock Garden and it definitely needs some taming and direction. Brenda Mitchell continued working on the Rose Perimeter. She is working her way around that bed, trying to keep the ground cover under control. Ed Skiba came to amend the soil in the vegetable beds. Carol Hudenko weeded and deadheaded in the inferno strip, and Carol Chicci continued working on rose pruning. Crys Wells and I were busy helping everyone else. Thanks to everyone for a productive first week in the garden. 

Here are some photos that Crys took yesterday. Looks like we may get some crabapples and quince this year.