May Newsletter
Buds, birds and blooms
“May: the lilacs are in bloom. Forget yourself.”
What a fantastic time of year to be in New Hampshire. Buds are bursting, birds are chirping, and the nippy morning chill gives way to a delightful sunny day. It’s difficult to avoid stopping at every cherry tree and every lilac to inhale the perfume and wonder at the bees.
This lilac (Syringa v. ‘Sensation’) is two-toned and deliciously fragrant. It grows 10-15’ tall and wide.
Like the bees, we are buzzing around raking, refreshing mulch, fertilizing, applying soil amendments and edging in preparation for our last frost date around May 17th (fingers crossed). Our “annuals week” begins May 23rd with the delivery of several thousand impatiens, petunias, sweet alyssum and dozens of other varieties. Our friend and local plant guru Mike Gerrity grows our special order in his Pittsfield greenhouses starting in January. The delivery is quite a sight!
We are also planting perennials, trees and shrubs before the weather is too hot. Since the pandemic began, nurseries have been overwhelmed with high demand for plants and low supply from growers. We are doing everything we can to secure specified varieties and sizes, but it’s not always possible or feasible.
Please let us know if you would like any specific plants and whether or not substitutes are acceptable.
The Garden Life Team
“The rain that’s falling soft and slow
Has set the tulip bed aglow,
A flaming mass of color.
And oh, the yellow and the red
Against the blackness of the bed—
The garden seems enchanted.”
