We've had some persistent baby
raccoons working through our dumpsters that past couple of nights. We're ready with our ramp though so they can scamper out as needed. Despite the fears that many people have regarding raccoons, I think they're cute (unless they're raiding our campsite...). It was muggy today but we kept plugging along. Janice, Big John, Ernie and Kay did a great job planting the wishing well garden beds (see below) that were well-prepared by Marv and Terry yesterday. They put in another 1000 annuals or so in the spaces that were just irises three days ago. Janice watered in the new plantings (and some containers) while John shifted to pushmowing. Kay continued weeding until lunchtime. Larry was the water boy again and ran irrigation, sprinklers and hit whatever containers Janice didn't get to before she had to leave. Little Jerry mowed and pruned here and there. He does a darn nice job and is very detail oriented.
Below is a nice shot of our prairie. It looks good despite the non-native soapwort (
Saponaria sp.) in the foreground and Queen Anne's lace (
Daucus carota) in the background. Our prairie has won some awards but still has some weed issues. Our volunteer, Chuck, has been plugging away out there and with our ample June moisture, the prairie looks nice right now. Besides Kay and Ernie, we also had Dr. Gredler here mowing and Dick P. and Maury helped get our new laser engraver placed in the office after our garden development meeting (also including Hal, Dr. Yahr, Dr. Gredler, Kris, Carrie, Big John and Joanne). Doris was here weeding the terrace and her corner plantings. We also saw Mary, Tom, Nancy and Luis came in to talk about our woody plant inventory that he is working on currently. The muggy afternoon was brutal and tomorrow looks even worse. We'll do what we can though. I have a talk and will be meeting the gang from Allen Centennial Gardens (UW-Madison) including our former Executive Director, Ed Lyon, who is not Director at that garden.
Below is a nice close-up of 'Tiger Eye Gold' gloriosa daisy (
Rudbeckia hirta) which is the first F1 hybrid Rudbeckia and I think it is awesome. At only 24" tall, this plant has very consistent blooms and a nice clear gold coloration. I saw a huge patch of this annual at the Ball Seed Trial Gardens (West Chicago, IL) a couple years ago and it was quite impressive.
Below is a nice bouquet of the 'Strawberry Fields' globe amaranth (
Gomphrena) that Janice cut today. O
ur big collection this year includes many globe amaranths and is starting to fill in nicely despite being picked thru by a batch of 30 hungry geese every morning. Globe amaranths are great as fresh flowers and dried flowers and maintain their color fairly well. I think they are underutilized as an annual and should be incorporated in more flower bed and definitely containers. To the right is the new arbor that the Grumpies have just finished with the gates being the latest
addition. This is the south entry in to the wishing well garden. We'll get some vines going up it and continue planting in the near vicinity. The carpenters do a nice job and the cost of that structure (simply materials with volunteer labor) is extremely affordable and much appreciated. The cucumber collection is really hitting stride over at the Horticulture Center. We have 20 varieties of pre--1920s cucumbers that Janice and her team planted back in early June. We are seeing lots of cukes forming. Below is the cucumber (
Cucumis sativus) called 'Boothby's Blonde' that is a white cucumber introduced way back in 1894. It will be neat to try these out. The bottom photo shows how well our little cucumber "tee-pee" supports have worked.
We've had some persistent baby raccoons working through our dumpsters that past couple of nights. We're ready with our ramp though so they can scamper out as needed. Despite the fears that many people have regarding raccoons, I think they're cute (unless they're raiding our campsite...). It was muggy today but we kept plugging along. Janice, Big John, Ernie and Kay did a great job planting the wishing well garden beds (see below) that were well-prepared by Marv and Terry yesterday. They put in another 1000 annuals or so in the spaces that were just irises three days ago. Janice watered in the new plantings (and some containers) while John shifted to pushmowing. Kay continued weeding until lunchtime. Larry was the water boy again and ran irrigation, sprinklers and hit whatever containers Janice didn't get to before she had to leave. Little Jerry mowed and pruned here and there. He does a darn nice job and is very detail oriented.
Below is a nice shot of our prairie. It looks good despite the non-native soapwort (Saponaria sp.) in the foreground and Queen Anne's lace (Daucus carota) in the background. Our prairie has won some awards but still has some weed issues. Our volunteer, Chuck, has been plugging away out there and with our ample June moisture, the prairie looks nice right now. Besides Kay and Ernie, we also had Dr. Gredler here mowing and Dick P. and Maury helped get our new laser engraver placed in the office after our garden development meeting (also including Hal, Dr. Yahr, Dr. Gredler, Kris, Carrie, Big John and Joanne). Doris was here weeding the terrace and her corner plantings. We also saw Mary, Tom, Nancy and Luis came in to talk about our woody plant inventory that he is working on currently. The muggy afternoon was brutal and tomorrow looks even worse. We'll do what we can though. I have a talk and will be meeting the gang from Allen Centennial Gardens (UW-Madison) including our former Executive Director, Ed Lyon, who is not Director at that garden. 
ur big collection this year includes many globe amaranths and is starting to fill in nicely despite being picked thru by a batch of 30 hungry geese every morning. Globe amaranths are great as fresh flowers and dried flowers and maintain their color fairly well. I think they are underutilized as an annual and should be incorporated in more flower bed and definitely containers. To the right is the new arbor that the Grumpies have just finished with the gates being the latest
addition. This is the south entry in to the wishing well garden. We'll get some vines going up it and continue planting in the near vicinity. The carpenters do a nice job and the cost of that structure (simply materials with volunteer labor) is extremely affordable and much appreciated. The cucumber collection is really hitting stride over at the Horticulture Center. We have 20 varieties of pre--1920s cucumbers that Janice and her team planted back in early June. We are seeing lots of cukes forming. Below is the cucumber (Cucumis sativus) called 'Boothby's Blonde' that is a white cucumber introduced way back in 1894. It will be neat to try these out. The bottom photo shows how well our little cucumber "tee-pee" supports have worked. 
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