Judith Adam
Late-summer blues: Great blue lobelia and willow gentian
Two gorgeous blue perennials in bloom — great blue lobelia and willow gentian. They look particularly vigorous this year, no doubt because of the rain.
Short and tall Joe Pye weed
Joe Pye weed has attractive wine-red stems and dusky purple flowers in late summer and early fall. Now, there are short versions useful for small gardens.
Looking for big garlic cloves
Garlic begins making roots in fall, just as soon as it’s buried in soft, rich soil. A big garlic clove on planting day make big heads next summer.
Leave some seed for birds
When clearing plants in the fall, two little goldfinches have reminded me that birds are dependent on seedheads for their autumn diet. Leave seed for birds.
Culver’s root and turtlehead: Late summer stars
At the Stratford Festival garden in Ontario, I was surprised to find tall thick stands of culver’s root and turtlehead, two old-fashioned Zone 5 plants.
