July Newsletter 2024
Summer Blooms and the Flume
“A very pleasant month is this
To be in a country town.
The sunlight doth the foliage kiss,
Each verdant leaflet beams with bliss,
I see not one that’s brown.
Fresh zephyrs fan the thrifty trees
The oaks, the elms, the willows,
The lake’s face caressed by the breeze
In imitation of the seas,
Is flecked with tiny billows.”
We are doing our seasonal pruning of water sprouts and root suckers on fruit trees. At this time of year we are also pruning lilacs, rhododendrons and mountain laurels after they have bloomed before they set flower buds for next season. We prune inner branches to allow light into the inner part of the plant to encourage full, balanced growth.
We have had a heat wave already and experiencing humidity like we are in the middle of summer, but the plants (and our crew) are resilient! The plants are benefiting from the rain of last season and everything is happy and growing. The soil is cool and nutritious - providing the plants with minerals, water and oxygen they need.
Butterflies and other pollinators are enjoying the bountiful blossoms. Please be aware and respect these insects in your gardens, they assist in pollinating plants as well as scouting/eating less desirable insects - maintaining balance in the garden.
With all the rain from last season we are observing fungal issues we have rarely seen before. Rhododendron gall - deforming growth on rhododendrons. During our garden care visits, we are scouting for the gall and will prune it out out of plants when we find it.
We visited the Flume in Lincoln, New Hampshire. We enjoyed its natural beauty and admired the plants that grow natively there. We could not help ourselves in “assisting” local businesses in keeping up with their planting beds. When you are passionate about something, you can’t help yourself!
Go LEX!
We are trying like heck to encourage annual plants to perform this season. The last couple years were tough and we want everyone to feel happiness at their properties and enjoy the added color :)
We hope everyone enjoys their long weekend and please reach out with any questions!
-The Garden Life Team
