Thursday, August 21, 2014

Finally - A Rainy Day

 
It was nice to finally have a rainy day.  We had a pretty full day of drizzle interspersed with some heavier rains.  For the most part, it was a good soaker.  We'll have to tidy up the gardens tomorrow a bit as I'm sure we have branches down and some path washouts.  Regardless, this moisture is most welcome and will free us up to do more traditional gardening while avoiding having to stretch out too many hoses.  The photo above and two below are meant to inspire you to sign up for our Summer Bus Tour on September 13th.  The two photos below are from the Green Bay Botanical Garden which is simply beautiful (including the "Hobbit-style" bathrooms!)  The Paine Art Center & Gardens is also very nice with the house featuring an art gallery with works from Henri Matisse.  This exciting trip is priced affordably at $69 and the registration deadline is September 4th.  Visit www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org for more information on this fun road trip (I'll be going!). 
 
 
 
 
We were inside most of the day and the guys found plenty to do this morning.  We had a smaller showing of both Grumpies and Grumpettes which is to be expected with this weather but the productivity was still amazing as always.  Above is Del peeling labels and below are (left to right), Vern, Bob K., Dave and Jim.  These carpenters were working on some new chairs for placement out in the gardens.  The second photo down shows Dick H. working on some equipment repairs.  He bounced between a couple different vehicles and his handiness is much appreciated (and equates to some serious cost savings!).  Gary B. went out to do some mulching this morning and Bonnie and Suzie were out weeding near the Potter Daylily Collection.  Vicky and Linda S. were also on hand to help garden before the rains.  Dr. Gredler was in for mowing later in the day and Maury popped by with some supplies.  We also saw Dr. Yahr, Pat M. and many others today.



The grounds staff had some outdoor work between raindrops but primarily caught up with indoor tasks like cleaning up carts, a fuel run, sharpening tools, etc.  Big John and Larry had a wide range of indoor tasks.  Janice spent much of the day getting our labels, signs and other supplies together for the looming Fall Plant Sale (see www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org for more information).  I had multiple meetings and haven't run out of deskwork yet.  I didn't take any images in the gardens today but below are some from yesterday! 

'Morden Blush' rose (Rosa) - woody 
prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya) - perennial (note monarchs!)
'Cherokee Sunset' gloriosa daisy (Rudbeckia hirta) - annual
'Thailand Giant' elephant ear (Colocasia gigantea) with 'Blazin' Rose' bloodleaf (Iresine hybrida) - tropical in our copper cheese vat
'Kent's Beauty' trailing oregano (Origanum rotundifolium) - tender perennial
rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) with some nice morning light - perennial
formal annual sections
'Black Coral' elephant ear (Colocasia esculenta) - Royal Hawaiian Series with 'Golden Dreams' coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) - tropicals

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