This blog is back

After a long hiatus, this blog is back. Let me begin with a report on the annual Munjoy Hill garden tour, Secret Gardens of Munjoy Hill. This year's tour netted $4000 for a number of local non-profit ventures, including a collection of gardening books for the new Munjoy Hill library. Thumbs up for the many gardeners who shared their hard work with visitors on July 9, a hot and sunny day. Thumbs down for the occasional lack of grooming in some of the gardens as well as those where plants were installed just prior to the tour. Especially enjoyable were the repeat gardens, which are clearly developing and maturing year to year. Among the outstanding locations: Aurelia Scott's stunning use of stone dust to create a fragrant English style herb garden, in which thymes, lavenders, dianthus, johnny jump ups, and other old fashioned favorites were growing as ground covers. And, Peter Blackstone's riot of tropical plants, with orchids hanging from trees and other tropicals on shelves around the garden's perimeter. The photo shows Peter's pond, with a mirror reflection of one of the low voltage lights placed around the garden.