by Tish Murphy, Assistant Gardner

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It's September! The Show isn't over!
  Dahlias take the lead role this time of year on the Bridge. Big, small, short, tall. Blooms range in size from a couple inches to the size of a dinner plate. Plants can be one foot tall, up to five feet tall, or more. Many different flower forms, a whole language just for dahlias - Anemone, Ball, Cactus-flowered, formal decorative, orchid, peony, pompon, water lily... Comes in all colors, except true blue. Some blooms consist of a few colors, transitioning in a subtle way, like 'China Doll,' or more abruptly on 'Tanjoh.' Mrs. Eileen is a tall variety holding up big orange blooms. Crazy Love is another tall variety, smaller blooms, white with a narrow purple edge. Salmon Spider, Babylon Red, Cezanne, Alvas's Regalia, Mystery Day. There are over 20,000 listed cultivars, according to Brooklyn Botanic Garden's book Summer Blooming Bulbs. Dahlias are, more accurately, root tubers, not technically bulbs. Natives of the mountains from Mexico to Columbia. Hardy in Zones 8-10. So, we dig them up in the fall, store them in peat moss or sawdust in a friend's cool basement for the winter, and replant them in late spring.
  Other tender summer bulbs blooming on the bridge now are Gladiolus and Acidanthera, Peacock Orchid, which had been reclassified as a type of Gladiolus. Native habitat is East Africa. Flowers from all over the world, and people from far away places spend time on the Bridge. What else is blooming? Physotegia (Obedient Plant); Echinacea in pink, white, or orange/red; Roses; Perovskia (Russian Sage); Autumn Clematis. Many annuals complement those perennials, such as Marguerite Daisies, Double Impatiens, Rudbeckia 'Indian Summer,' deep red velvet snapdragons, Heliotrope, two foot Ageratum, Petunia 'Purple Wave.'
  And, the Wisteria, which bloomed in late May/early June, has grown seed pods that look like GIANT VELVET BEANS! They hang from the vine at twenty, thirty, fifty plus feet above ground. Maybe that is the "beanstalk" Jack was talking about. So, don't forget to look UP! 

It's late July/early August and there is a LOT blooming on the Bridge. Here are some highlights-
  Eryngium (Sea Holly) - easier to say and spell - is going all out, and many different bees love it! No worries, the bees are much more interested in the flowers than the humans. This perennial has small globe-shaped flowers surrounded by stiff bracts, located where petals would be. What is a bract? A modified, often showy leaf located at the base of a flower or group of flowers (Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials). Blue with a silvery hue, these flowers are very unique, and a little sharp!
  Crocosmia 'Lucifer' is a summer bulb that sends up gladiolus-like foliage. A few feet tall with curving flower stalks holding blooms that look like red flames. This bulb is hardy here in Zone 5; we tuck it in for the winter with a mound of bark mulch for an extra blanket under the snow. There are some varieties of Crocosmia in other warm colors, which are not hardy this far north.
  Other summer bulbs that are flowering - Dahlias in lots of colors and sizes are starting their show. Gladiolus will be blooming soon. And, Tigridia, Mexican Shellflower, has begun to bloom. These bulbs will not winter over in the north.
  Other perennials blooming - Monarda/Bee Balm, Perovskia/Russian Sage, Phlox paniculata, Achillea/Yarrow, Astilbe, Lilies, Daylilies, Liatris, Cimicufuga/Bugbane/Snakeroot, Heliopsis - look like mini sunflowers, Platycodon/Balloon Flower, Hosta, Shasta Daisy, Hydrangea. And, Echinacea in pink/purple, orange, and red; the hybridizers are having fun with this plant - making lots of new varieties in new colors for coneflowers.
  And that's not all! Lots of annuals scattered across the Bridge to add season-long color amongst the perennials. Marguerite daisies are a sunny yellow; Snapdragons, big and small; Asclepias currasavica - a type of milkweed; two foot tall blue Ageratum; Morning glory; Purple Wave Petunias; and Impatiens in the shade.
  One last thing - we hung Praying Mantis egg cases in early June, and have been waiting, hoping to see some - wondered if they all the rain had an impact. Couldn't remember when they made their appearance last year. When was that? Late July/early August... And then I saw the first one Friday, July 24! It was small, about one inch long. Look for them! But you will have to look closely, as they blend in with nature. They are very cool!
  If you feel like someone is watching you, it might be a Praying Mantis! As you will see, not a dull moment On The Bridge!

IMAY 2009
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We had summer weather end of April, and BLOOM! Now there are tulips everywhere! Short, tall, big, small - orange, purple, reds, yellow and white. As the wind comes down the river the colors dance in the breeze.
So much has happened in the past week. Solomons seal has grown a foot - like a teenager! And it's blooming, too. As are a couple of crabapples, the Magnolia tree, Amelanchier, Azalea and Pieris.
Plants that were barely poking out of the ground two weeks ago are now recognizable, and even starting to really look like themselves. Camassia Quamash, Peony, Astilbe,...
And, the Euonymous is singing again! Sparrows spend their days there, and come down onto the gravel pathway for a dust bath.

The heat wave sped things up. The Crocuses and Chionodoxa said, "Too warm, I'm outta here." Tulips and daffodils bloom time may pass more quickly due to the heat. And, the Lily Leaf beetles came out a bit earlier. I was not happy to see those bright red beetles, though I was expecting them. They cause a lot of damage to lilies and are mating now and laying eggs on the undersides of the leaves. If you have lilies, squishing the beetles and the eggs are an ongoing task. There are products out there to spray that can be helpful. There are natural, less harmful products to the environment. Squishing a little every day is a good option, especially if you only have a few plants. When the eggs hatch into larvae is when the real damage starts to happen.They are voacious eaters, and can defoliate the plant if there are enough of them and not dealt with. And, they're yucky. They carry their excrement on their backs. What bird in their right mind would want to eat that for dinner? Definitely a put-off, which works well for the larvae. They don't bother the daylilies (Hemerocallis species), but target the Lilium species (such as Asiatic and Oriental) and Fritillaria.

So much growing! It's different every day!
Come visit! And then come visit again...it won't be the each time.

MID-JUNE 2009
It's the middle of June and the Bridge of Flowers is bursting with color! Enough to make Crayola a little envious. More colors on the Bridge in one season that you will find in the big box of crayons.
Azaleas in lots of brights - magenta pink, salmon, red, and the variety Mandarin Lights (that would be orange red, or red orange?) Rhododendrons with softball size clusters of flowers. And, the 'Carol Mackie' Daphne is starting to bloom. Arisaema sikokianum is a must see!! It stops people traffic. A Japanese Jack in the Pulpit that looks like Mother Nature's Little Lamp Post. It brightens up the shady area on the Shelburne side.

What else is happening in the shade? Solomon's Seal ihas flowered. Even when that part of the show is over, the foliage has a strong and graceful presence throughout the season. Bleeding Heart, Lily of the Valley, Lamium, Pansies, Phlox stolonifera. Brunnera is also showing off. The flowers look just like Forget-Me-Nots, but they're not - a number of varieties, all with the same flower, but different foliage. In a shade garden you don't tend to find the bold blooms that you see in the sun. However, that doesn't mean there isn't anything to see. Adjust your seeking, and you will find a lot. It's more subtle. Check out all the different foliage. Texture, color, contrast, different markings on foliage, and those monster sized Hosta leaves.
Step into the sun and you will see Phlox subulata - creeping phlox, that colorful carpet and mini and short iris. Columbine, Centaurea montana, Trollius, Carolina Lupines, Clematis, Osteospermum, and Camassia Quamash, one of my favorites. Tree peonies are just coming out; blossoms bigger than my hand, and bold colors.
Plants in bloom - Allium, Poppies, Iris, Siberian Iris.

Come visit. And come back the next day - there will be something new, or something you didn't see.
One last thing, the Wisteria is blooming, so don't forget to look UP!

Mid-June 2009
It's mid-June, and the Bridge is covered in blooms. Buddleia alternifolia is starting to flower. Soon this shrub will
grab you with it's sweet floral scent. An open growth habit, with thin, pendulous branches covered with tiny light purple flowers. If I had to compare it to a shape, a little umbrella like, but definitely would not keep you dry in a storm. The butterflies love it, and so
will you.
Kolkwitzia (Beauty Bush is easier to say) is covered in pinkish-white blooms. A focal point of the garden at this time.
Styrax japonica (Japanese Snowbell) is showing off in it's own subtle way, with small white flowers hanging daintily from the branches.Elderberry Black Lace makes a statement with it's almost black foliage. Nice color and texture contrast with the surrounding plants.
And, Hydrangea petiolaris is climbing the tree and the fence. It stands out more now as it has just started to bloom.
Alliums are a traffic stopper. Globe Master and Star of Persia are big purple orbs seemingly suspended a couple feet above ground.
The Lupines are luscious this week. Salvia is bold and blue, standing out in the crowd. Columbine Giants of all different colors. Lady's Mantle, Filipendula, Dianthus, Poppy, Geranium, Amsonia.
Yarrow and Evening Primrose - Yellow! Sunshine on a stem.Roses are unfolding in many layers and colors - red, pink, apricot, peach, pale yellow. Climbing, rambling, bush shape. Nice that plants
with thorns have such beautiful flowers.
Iris, siberian and bearded, add color and floral complexity to the Bridge Bouquet.
Be sure to check out the White Baptisia. Over three feet tall with small white flowers atop asparagus looking stems.

Coming soon, Lilies.
We've been squishing the Lily Leaf Beetles, bright red bugs that eat the leaves. They lay eggs on the undersides of leaves. The larval stage does the most damage; they can eat the leaves down to the stem, and make the plant unattractive along the way. Squishing is a good strategy for all three life stages. Check the undersides of leaves
for eggs and squish. The larvae look like little blobs of poop on the leaves, and they are. They wear their excrement on their back as a deterrent. It works. But, you can get past that and squish them to save your lilies! Yuck. I wear gloves.
Diligence, keep at it. A little every day.

Carol and the local fifth grade classes hung Praying Mantis egg cases in a few spots early June.
Get ready to look for mini mantids early July. Very cool bugs.
If you feel like someone is watching you, that's probably the case!
Come see all the flowers, and the pollinators. They are visiting the
Bridge, too.

It's JULY!  And the Bridge is busy - covered with flowers and people.
   
The Roses are showing off.  Blooming in warm colors - reds, pinks, peach, pale yellow.  Short in stature, bushy, climbing high, and rambling.  They are not scented, so please don't step in the garden to find out.  Next year we may be adding some scented hybrid tea roses in front of beds for your olfactory pleasure.  Be sure to check out the arch on the Buckland side - pink roses and purple clematis are blooming together, and they make a great couple!  Delphiniums are blooming in the cool shades - blues and purples.  Their height and beauty make them focal points.  Lavender, Astilbes, Armeria, Salvia verticillata, Veronica, Aruncus/Goat's Beard, Coreopsis, Lady's Mantle, Achillia/Yarrows, and Oenothera/Sun Drops are scattered across the Bridge.  Heliopsis Lorraine Sunshine with interesting variegated foliage and small sunflower-like flowers.  Platycodon/Balloon flower - check out the maturing buds and you will see how it got that name.  Echinacea Sundown 'Evan Saul' is an orange coneflower.
   The LILIES are blooming!! Stepping out to be seen, and they are magnificent!  Blossoms in different shapes depending on variety - trumpet, star, or bowl-shaped; maybe recurved petals, blossom might be nodding or upright.  Mostly see hybrid lilies out in the world these days.  Plant breeders cross different species to create new varieties or cultivars, having some characteristics of each parent plant.  Asiatic, Oriental, Tiger, Trumpet, Martagon,.... to throw some types out there.  Very colorful and showy.  Much loved by people and the Lily Leaf Beetle.  Bright red beetle that feeds and lays eggs on the underside of leaves.  The larval stage look like mini slugs covered with mud on the underside of leaves.  In actuality, the pest is covered with its own poop to deter possible predators.  They are voracious eaters that cause a lot of damage and make the foliage look unsightly.  Squish the red bugs, eggs, and larvae - which are out now.  If you love lilies, just know that the pest will come around.  So, just like any relationship, it's a package deal, and takes some effort.  Work out the bugs and you can have a beautiful love affair.

February 2010
It's mid-February On the Bridge, and there's been no snow cover, unusual for this area. Too bad, because the plants benefit from snow.  It acts as a blanket, insulating and protecting the plant roots from cold and winter wind. And, in the spring, when snow melts over time, it provides a deep, satisfying drink.
    So, what could possibly be happening in the garden now? Are the plants sleeping? Hibernating? In plant language, they are dormant, a rest state. Nothing is growing above ground, but the roots are still active. It's an important time. Some fruit trees have a "chilling requirement," a certain number of hours of temperatures below 45 degrees is necessary to satisfy the rest requirement. This varies for different types of trees and their cultivars or varieties. After that cold requirement is met, and warmer temperatures come, the trees can break dormancy. When the temperatures rise, the plants start to become active again, and go about their "business as usual" during the growing season. If this need is not met, there could be later bloom time, sparse or no blooms, and perhaps limited foliage, as well. No blooms means no fruit.
    Fruit trees are not the only plants that need a cold period. Some bulbs, such as tulips and daffodils, also require chill time. Not enough cold - no spring show. In the south, if you want to have blooming tulips, you will need to refrigerate them for a few months before planting.  After bloom and foliage die back, they will need to be lifted and go through a special chill again in order to bloom the next year.  We planted lots of bulbs this fall, and it's cold out, so there will be a good show in the spring!
    As much as some plants need the cold, other northern hardy plants might struggle with winter conditions. Underground the bulbs and plant roots are protected by soil, and usually a snow blanket. Above ground, broadleaf evergreen shrubs, such as rhododendrons, are out in the elements.  If they live in a windy and unprotected spot, they might suffer through the winter. Dessication, or winter burn, shows in the spring as brown, dried out leaves. It can be pretty windy along the river and its banks. The rhodys here are given some extra protection, burlap tied to tall stakes gently surrounding the shrub, to help break the wind and decrease chances of small branches and leaves drying out.
    The plants on the bridge are patiently waiting for spring. I have much to learn from them!