Headed for Our Best Year Yet!

Nice shot above in the fern & moss garden with the Azumaya structure in the distance. The weather was again cool today at 72 degrees F but the sunshine helped make it a perfect day for gardening. We saw plenty of visitors today and it was nice to see so many volunteers come in to help out today. The gardens continue to fill in as our summer annuals gain more color although some additional heat would be nice as well. We're right on track with our "July shift" to more fine tuning out in the gardens with work pending on more edging, mulching and other activities that help keep the gardens looking sharp. Our planting is almost done although we always keep a "reserve" so we'll have plants to fill in gaps or openings as they occur. All the photos in this blog were taken today.

fragrant pinks (Dianthus hybridus) - annual

double gloriosa daisy (Rudbeckia hirta 'Gloriosa Double') - annual

'Overdam' feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora) - perennial

'Razzleberry' stonecrop (Sedum hybrida) - perennial

I know I'm going to omit some volunteers as I consider everyone I saw today between my meetings. We had an excellent turnout which has become very standard for Thursdays. Above is Del peeling/processing labels for later re-use. Del also tidied up in the Horticulture Center where Dave, Jim and Vern kept busy with various carpentry projects. Dick H. made some runs to the dump and helped with some indoor projects as well. Directly below are Kathy and Eva (in red) planting the Pea Patch garden which coincides with some of our programs and youth activities. The ladies moved on to serious weeding in the Japanese garden and were joined by Vicki O. later in the morning. The second photo down shows Mary Ann with Janice (driving) as they headed in to the Thomas Jefferson Collection for some primping. That garden is looking quite sharp! The third photo down shows Sandi (left) and Winifred clearing weeds near the Alphabet Jungle Garden. The ladies shifted to the front slope to help Peg, Bonnie, Susie, Mary W. and Marilyn (fourth photo down) with similar weeding duties. Ron P. (fifth photo down) continued replacing path gravel while Ron R. and Lloyd spread a lot of mulch near the Japanese garden. Rollie and Dr. Gredler did their mowing and Maury ran more errands. Hal and Doris were also on site to tidy up their beautiful garden space. The sixth photo down shows Shirley C. (left) and Mary W. before they headed out for weeding. Stan was out working in the Japanese garden and we also saw Dr. Yahr, Gary and many others.

Dr, Gredler to the left supervising and Dick H. and Larry napping on the job

The Convoy of Grumpettes

"A Rose Between Two Thorns" (Terry, Kathy and Big John, left to right)

The grounds staff kept busy all day. Above is Nolan (left) getting ready for pond cleaning training from Larry. Nolan also weed whipped, fertilized and is working on gravel paths to freshen them up. Larry also ran irrigation, push mowed and helped with various repairs and tasks at the Horticulture Center. Terry was in for a bit to finish some edging and shearing. Big John worked significantly on path edging but also fertilized and bounced between myriad projects. Janice helped organize and lead the volunteers this morning, worked in the Thomas Jefferson Collection and also had fertilization and watering on her to-do list as well. I was able to go through some of my desk work today but was able to get outside for herbicide use and other tasks.