Another Glorious Day!

I would be quite comfortable in a climate that had every day like today…a nice cool start to the morning…warming to 80 degrees F in the afternoon with a light breeze and some cloud cover.  Perfect!  Nice shot above of ‘Blue Ice’ hybrid bluestar (Amsonia hybrida) just starting to bloom.  Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) “seed fuzz” continues to blow around the gardens but there is plenty of color to enjoy as we continue to plant more of our annuals daily.  It’s nice to see more visitor enjoying the gardens daily.  We’ve hit a pretty good pace and always have to make sure we keep our new plantings watered and absorb them in to our watering schedule immediately!  Our grounds staff of Bobby K., Alex, Shania, Big John, Larry H., Cindy, Janice and I all had a busy day but productivity was impressive as usual.  We knew the volunteer turnout was significant when we ran out of parking at the Horticulture Center!  Volunteers today included Dennis J., two Mercy volunteers, Steve J., Ron Y., Jim, Dave, Vern, Barb, Sandi, Kathy, Eva, Marv B., Bob K., Alan M., Steve E., Dick P., Maury, Dick H., Del, Dr. Gredler, Mike P., Kevin C., Rollie M., Gary S. and many others.  We also saw Becky, our new intern and a later meeting for our Home Garden Tour committee (the tour is July 21st!) included Becky, Marcia L., Marsha M., Marcia N., Barb, Cora, Sue and myself.

seed heads of pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) – perennial

they are sure cute when they are babies!

‘Purple Fountain’ weeping European beech (Fagus sylvatica) – woody tree

Star of Persia (Allium christophii) – perennial bulb

Eva (above) and Kathy (below) planting away….

Dr. Gredler (above)

I can’t get enough of this ‘Sun King’ Japanese spikenard (Aralia cordata) – perennial

arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum, unknown variety) – woody shrub

‘Wayne’s World’ white false indigo (Baptisia alba) – perennial

Decadence® ‘Blueberry Sundae’ hybrid false indigo (Baptisia hybrida) – perennial