Summer Sun – August Newsletter
The heat of summer is here, and the whine of cicadas in the trees accompanies a breeze to break up the late afternoon humidity. Tis the season of iced tea and shorts on the patio while the gardens practically explode with color, alive with pollinators, and overflowing the blooms to capture the riot of summer in all of its glory. Scattered thunderstorms have brought brightness to the garden but those downpours won't completely eliminate the drought conditions we've been experiencing for the past three summers and the chronic effects of those conditions on established landscapes and trees.
As we work through your gardens, we are taking care of weeds and debris, of course, but also keeping an eye on the condition of your gardens, making observations and suggestions, and looking for developing problems to nip things in the (literal or proverbial) bud.
Effects of Long-term Drought on the Landscape
Continued drought conditions in the region will be showing more and more impacts on the landscape and gardens as time goes on. There is both acute drought damage that shows up within the season it occurs, and cumulative chronic drought damage that will only increase over time. Check out our blog for some impacts that you may be just starting to notice in the garden as the state-wide drought conditions continue.
Disease Profile: Aster Yellows
Monthly maintenance is an ideal gardening service for many reasons, and a primary one is that it keeps an eye on every single plant in the garden every single month so that warning signs of pests and diseases can be identified and dealt with early before things get out of hand. One disease in particular that has some telltale early signs of development is Aster Yellows. Read on for more info on this systemic disease and its impact on the home garden.
Seasonal Services: Winter Containers
As the summer sun shines down and the drone of lawnmowers echoes across the neighborhood, it can seem like winter is so far away. But the season is guaranteed to arrive again and with it, the frigid temps and long dark nights. Fear not, this does not mean that you need to miss out on the beauty and bounty of nature for those dark weeks of winter. Let us custom design a Winter Container to welcome friends and family and provide a beacon of beauty all winter long. Tap the button below to receive your complimentary estimate!
Be sure to reach out today, we are only able to take orders until Friday, August 25th!
Plant of the Month: Bugleweed, Ajuga reptans
A dense mat-forming ground cover, Ajuga is a good choice in shady spots that need consistent coverage where interesting foliage can be appreciated. Available in shades of blue-green and purple-green as well as a variegated variety, Ajuga sends up small spires of periwinkle blue flowers in the spring. This scallop-edged perennial does well as a living mulch around other plants, or filling in alongside pavers or stepping stones in a pathway.
Shrub of the Month: Weigela, Weigela florida
Drenched in tubular red, magenta, or pink flowers, this early summer bloomer continues the floral display after rhododendrons and lilacs fade in the spring. Uniquely shaped branches develop a lot of character as these shrubs mature, and regular pruning helps to control the size and spread of these hardy shrubs. After they have finished their bloom, medium green to red-purple foliage provides an excellent structure in the home garden.
Summer afternoon—to me, those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.
Raising an ice-cold glass to you and yours through these scrumptious weeks of summer!
The Home Sown Gardens Team