As anticipated, the visit to O'Brien Nurseryman in Granby, CT was wonderful, awe inspiring, informative, fun, and a feast for the eyes. In addition to multiple – 1600 to 2000 varieties of hosta – you find hundreds of daylilies, conifers, maples, and multiple other shade-loving plants. Just browse the mind-boggling list at www.obrienhosta.com for an idea of their extensive plant list.
A great resource for CT gardeners, and others interested in environmental news, is ct environmental headlines, which lists anything and everything to do with climate, energy, conservation, sustainability, preservation, and a ton of other topics. I found both of the following at ct environmental headlines.
Cool days and nights and overcast skies marked the first half of June in south central Connecticut. Nearly daily rain of some amount interspersed with heavy downpours and strong thunderstorms kept soils consistently wet. Pansies, loving the cool temperatures, still bloom. Ferns and mosses thrive in the nearly constant moisture. The peonies were glorious, but short-lived – just as the biggest blossoms opened wide rains pelted them down. The last of my peony blossoms will go by this week, but later blooming iris are coming on strong along with many other happy blossoms to show on Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, June 2010.
Bring mid-summer's bountiful blossoms indoors to take full advantage of their unique scents and beauty. With the exception of the orange gerbera daisy focused at the center of the flower arrangement here (it came as a visitor's gift – my gerberas are pink), all the greens and blossoms came from my gardens. Hosta leaves provide the base structure of this bouquet. Use three or five, depending on the size of your vase. Perennial sweet pea vines and blossoms fill center space in this vase and their wayward growth and tendrils help hold heavier, straight-stem flowers, such as the lilies, upright in a vase. White, round blossoms of Queen Anne's lace pick up the white variegation of the hosta leaves and the white centers of the lily blossoms, and give the whole bouquet an airy feel. The dark sweet-pea flowers help highlight the lighter pink lilies, while the lighter pink sweet peas match and balance the lily color. Blue anise hyssop blossoms contrast the vibrant orange and pink of the other blossoms and make the brighter colors pop.
The rain has slowed, the sun is warm, but at mid-July we are still having rather cool (50 degree) nights. Here's what is blooming in my Connecticut gardens.
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