A Colorful Monday

We have a chance of rain every day this week and I hope the odds will ever be in our favor! We could sure use a good, slow, 2" soaking to wet everything down. Irrigation, sprinklers and hand watering can keep things alive but Mother Nature is our best source and I hope to be blogging this week about our soaking rains! Above is the North point garden looking beautiful today. I am buried in desk work but was able to tour the gardens and am always amazed at how colorful it is out there, particularly this late in the season. We had another great Monday of volunteerism and the grounds staff kept busy between all their collective watering duties. Below are some other garden area shots from this morning. Below is our All-America Selections (AAS) Display Garden which features our "Pollinator's Paradise" theme in the Nancy Yahr Memorial Children's Garden. This garden is entered in the AAS Landscape Display Competition which we plan on winning for the third year in a row! We're simply happy to participate but a 1st place showing would help bring more people to RBG and Janesville, WI for sure!

the sunken garden

the terrace garden

the fern & moss garden (Russo Fountain in the distance)

Despite the expression on Gary's face above (the driver), the volunteers had an enjoyable and productive experience today. Gary and Bob above worked on mulching with Lloyd and Ron R. in the main parking lot area (seen directly below). The guys spread a lot of mulch and ended up going through our entire pile. The second photo down shows Bob K. working on sign installation. Bob is a retired electrician and very handy as evidenced by all the other tasks he did for us today. Eva was our sole Grumpette and she weeded in front of the main building and will finish tomorrow. The third photo down shows Ron B. watering in the Thomas Jefferson Collection and Gary S. can be seen in the fourth photo collecting early cottonwood (Populus deltoides) leaves that are drifting down already. Kevin also collected debris and Maury ran errands and worked on other tasks as well. Jim, Dave and Vern all worked on carpentry projects and Dr. Gredler was in for mowing duties. Jenny E. came in later this morning to tidy up the hosta hollow garden which looks great. We also saw Chuck S. (had a cart tour) and many others today.

The grounds staff kept busy with general gardening and plenty of watering. Above is Cindy in the "Pollinator's Paradise" theme that she has tended lovingly and faithfully since it was planted in early June. Cindy also had watering duties and tidying in another area. Big John set up sprinklers to soak the Jungle Garden and other areas. He also potted plants and is helping create space for our looming Fall Plant Sale (see www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org for details). Terry (below) also set up sprinklers, sheared, edged and worked with John on plant sale preparations. Larry had irrigation going all day, set up sprinklers, repaired irrigation and push mowed. Pat (half day) edged, weeded and fertilized some larger areas. I continue to avoid fresh air and am keeping up with desk work and plant sale preparations. Further below are some other plant photos from today.