Thursday, 3 June 2021
Skooter is pleased to have regained his daytime freedom.
Port of Ilwaco
We started at the west end of the curbside gardens, by Salt Hotel, which Allan weeded because walking on chunky river rock hurts my knee…
…and by the Skywater Gallery and Freedom Market pot shop.
The oxeye daisies are on the noxious weed list, although as a Class C weed, and “This plant is also on the Washington State quarantine list. It is prohibited to transport, buy, sell, offer for sale, or distribute plants or plant parts of quarantined species into or within the state of Washington or to sell, offer for sale, or distribute seed packets of seed, flower seed blends, or wildflower mixes of quarantined species into or within the state of Washington.” It is a pest in farm fields, decreasing crop yield and plant species diversity. However, in photos I’ve seen it rampant in the state park a mile away, and even though we pull a lot of it in springtime, our budget doesn’t run to the time consuming thorough weeding that would remove it….plus it grows in areas right next door to our gardens where it isn’t controlled at all and that are not part of our work territory.
So we will let it be for now, pull it again before it goes to seed and start the same cycle next year. It’s not a plant we put in on purpose, as it blew in from somewhere else, and I wish it were not noxious because I like it. It’s beloved in the UK and was in a recent garden in the Chelsea Flower Show.
The deer are still allowing the columbines to bloom!
The very west end, where the wind blows across the parking lots on both side, are so dry that even the weeds are tiny…
….and even the Libertia is distressed.
Allan worked so hard his ho mi tool separated.
We next checked on some of the other curbside beds, most of which seemed so thirsty that we hoped the predicted rain would not fail us.
My favorite beds are by the Port Pavilion.
I wish the helianthemums bloomed for a longer time.
It also comes in pink and yellow, which I should acquire. I also wish sea thrift bloomed for longer.
I hand watered precious eryngium seedlings including Miss Willmott’s Ghost, mid right, above.
The easternmost bed is another of the driest, being between two parking lots.
Allan took some photos of the fog, from which a light mist emanated, refreshing but not enough for a watering.
Our last bit of work at the port was some weeding by the Powell Gallery. This cistus is showing its best angle….
…and this eryngium is at its peak.
I chatted with a dog about town who I hear likes his freedom as much as Skooter does.
Mike’s garden
Allan defined the east edge of the wilder part of the garden while I weeded the rest.
I chatted with Mike and with my new friend, Kekkai, who dropped by for a visit.
J Crew Cottage
We hauled some rain water across the street for the roses and the one hydrangea that is missed by the hose end sprinklers. It’s easier to bring water for four plants than to undo the hose system.
Skooter had apparently been lounging about all afternoon.
Fortunately, we have been able to get him indoors in the evening to have his dose of Prozac (applied topically inside his ear) at midnight. It may take weeks to have effect at making him less anxious about marking territory.
I must admit I like those daisies. Some lovely, lovely gardens. Wish it weren’t so dry for you. Dry here, too, and we are in mini-drought, not as bad as last year, but so unusual for June in Maine. In the old days, when I was young, June was typically cool and rainy in Maine. Changes.
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We finally had some rain, enough to postpone the watering, thank goodness.
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Good!
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I love oxeye daisies, they manage to self seed here and there and I let them be, but they never seem to spread too much. I actually prefer them to the more cultivated shastas.
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I like the daisies too. It’s a pity that they are a pest.
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