Plant of the Week
Happy bee, happy gardener. This is right out my kitchen door.
Another sentinel of summer, Phlox paniculata is just a good old-timey plant that defines the late summer garden. Sometimes described as a brazen hussy of color, there are also some subtle hues to employ, and the white ones stand out when the evenings come on earlier. (Lord, it was just July 4th and I am already going there? Sorry!) They’re also outgoing in the form of offspring, and I remember a pal observing that the garden of a mutual friend had basically evolved to be a phlox garden. She wasn’t trying to be nice, by the way. Yet the garden looked magical.
Try some of the ones that don’t get that icky powdery mildew, such as David for a white, Jeana for a pink, and the Fashionably Early series, with their thicker, darker leaves and early show as a season beginner.
Guest
Sister Sue Ann joins in again and this week our topic is getting ready for a garden party. We delve into what to do and when, but we aren’t talking menu planning and tablescapes—we will leave that to you. We are Into the Garden for gardening. We want the place looking great for when you and your guests settle down to G&Ts. Make mine Hendricks with a splash of bitters.
The Play List
We are still watering, and if your container is smaller rather than larger, there is less earth to soak up and retain moisture.
Pinchy pinch pinch, including all those annuals I have been harping on plus
Cleome—if the lead flower starts to have a huge population of seed heads, cut it off and let the lower ones have their place in the sun.
Tomatoes—that little part that grows out above a branch that I call the armpit hair should go before it becomes a whole new part of the plant that you haven’t accounted for in your staking scheme.
Listen
99% Invisible is a great podcast. It’s based on architecture and design, but there’s a ton of history and culture involved. Here’s that link to the 15 most popular episodes on Podcast Review and here are two more that are garden related:
Thumbs up to the amazing table scape Caspari did for Historic Garden week!