September 3, 2007

Over the weekend, I had the chance to spend every second outside. During the day, I was helping many of you pick out trees, perennials, mulch, or mums, which kept me pretty busy. It was great to be outside and help you with your questions; it didn’t feel like work at all!

When not at Sargent’s, I was camping with friends and family at Lake Louise State Park. Saturday evening found me on a horse and wagon ride traversing the woods on various trails in the park. Seeing the berries on the dogwoods, sumac leaves turning color, wild plums on the trees, and the sunset was spectacular! The weekend was so beautiful; I wish I could have bottled it up for a rainy day!

Visiting with my family and friends was a highlight of the ride, but being in the woods was the best thing for my garden. The outdoors can be very inspiring for my yard. Seeing now that I cannot bottle the trail, I’ll try to recreate it in my backyard, incorporating a few of those plants which caught my eye. I am looking to add sumac and dogwood to my wooded area. The additional fall color will be great from my patio and the birds will also frolic around them. In the winter, the stems on a few types of dogwood will become red, which is striking in a dull winter garden. I might also look into adding a few more fall blooming perennials, such as rudbeckias, sedum, coneflowers, and ornamental grasses.

Lucky for me, I know where I can find a great selection of large Pagoda Dogwoods, ornamental grasses, and late summer blooming perennials. Come in soon to look at new plants for your outdoor park.

Happy Gardening!

Horticultural Advisor

Wendy Jasper

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