Shifting to Summer

Another week; another blog. This week of June 20 – June 24 I was once again present for the gardens event preparation. All week we have been hustling and bustling about in order to dress-up the garden for the “Twilight in the garden” event on Saturday.
I am very happy to be working at Cuddy’s at this transitional time. As the last traces of spring fade away, the summer-scape of the garden is beginning to emerge. Opuntias are flowering, pawpaw’s (Asimina triloba) are fruiting, and bees are nosily making their way through a variety of delicacies contained in the rose garden. It’s always a melancholy moment when a flowers time has run out, and it must wilt as the peonies are currently in the process of doing. However one must enjoy the flowers which still remain and look forward to those which are still in the form of a bud.

 

A great variety of tasks were undertaken by myself as well as the Cuddy’s “home team” throughout this week. Many of these tasks did involve the removal of undesirable species once again; however the species profile has changed slightly since my last visit. No longer do dandelions (Taraxicum offinale) create an endless sea of yellow. The species mainly seen about are English plantain (Plantago lanceolata), purslane (Portulaca oleracea), bindweed (Convolvulus ssp.), and excess numbers of desirable plants such as sweet woodruff and echinops.

 

Areas which I personally tackled in our beautification endeavor were the compost pile, the rose garden, the perennial border, the hatchery border, and the paths which encircle the Cuddy properties. Some areas had “lost” their carefully sculpted edges and so those had need to be re-established. The gravel paths of the Mediterranean garden and the alpine garden were also raked smooth. Debris was removed from the boxwoods which were expertly clipped by a co-worker.

Monday, the 20^th was a particularly hot day, and so all employees were to follow the action plan for this event. Much water was ingested and duties indoors and in the shade were undertaken. The classroom (our HQ) is now very clean.

A large part of my duties Friday morning was the watering of the cacti and succulent collection, as well as other potted plants around the property. Each plant received a good soaking, and by the afternoon one could see a remarkable difference in the vigor of quite a few of the specimens. I enjoy caring for contained plants; which is good as they would quickly parish without care. Being contained disallows the roots to search out life-giving water and nutrients and so their provision is of the upmost importance.

 

In conclusion, this has been a fantastic week at Cuddy’s, and once again I am looking forward to my next time here in August. It is exciting and very interesting to watch this garden develop with thyme but I am so impatiens…..  

(Clematis pictured, not impatiens)

 

Monday

Just a week after the annual Cuddy Open Garden, Yujing, James and I were back working at the cuddy gardens once again together. I started the day off by watering the hoop houses and the courtyard of trees. Spot watering was done to make sure every plant was well watered after the weekend. After that was completed I joined Yujing to edge behind the woodland garden and tree wells. to redefine the lost edges of… Acer?? While Yujing and I were kept busy for the entire day, James was hard at working digging a trench to extend the wifi closer to the hoop houses for our new debit machine.

 

Tuesday

Yujing and I headed off to weed the front entrance to the Cuddy gardens/farms. We loaded up the RTV with the proper tools and began weeding for the rest of the day.

Wednesday

We finished up the weeding from Tuesday then I went around the gardens watering a few pots that needed more attention. Yujing was in the Dry Garden weeding and I was working up at the hoop houses organizing and cleaning up.

Thursday

It was a rainy day all morning and into the afternoon Yujing helped me finish up the remaining work that needed to be done at the hoop houses and then we gave James and Nate a hand to fill in the trench once everything was put in. By that point the rain came down even harder and we all headed to the tool shed to do much needed cleaning and organizing. While Yujjing was doing a thorough sweep of the whole shed, James focused on organizing tools back to their proper place while I was also cleaning and organizing some shelves until lunch time. After lunch Yujing and I worked near the hoop houses to organize the cash tent by stacking and moving carts, sweeping and back in the hoop houses we organized flats and pots to make more space by condensing everything. Once that was completed we washed down tarps used to dig the trench back at the tool shed to prep them for storage.

Friday

Today is the last day for my week up at Cuddy's, it has been fun and very diverse. Working with Yujing everyday has been a pleasure.

 

Week of June 7-10th

Our new work week started on a Tuesday after a very long and successful Open Garden weekend. After everyone's hard work and determination Friday afternoon at 4pm the gardens were ready for the visitors to show up and be thrilled. A total of just over 2000 guests showed up to tour the A.M Cuddy Gardens with great proceeds raised towards the Fanshawe Horticultural Tech. Program and the gardens itself. With fantastic results we all had a blast at the plant sale with awesome weather on Saturday and a disappointing thunderstorm on Sunday but that did not stop us. Bad weather doesn't stop us horticulturalists!!

Tuesday morning was a slow start with Nate off property back at the London Campus. We proceeded with the clean up that included taking signs down, removing the historical antique garden tool display, putting tents and tables away. The afternoon began with .... no way you'll never guess, weeding! The weeds in the gardens are never ending. As the day neared Nate and Mike placed out new Hosta's, perennials and a few trees in the new Hosta garden. A interesting maple tree (Acer mono - Painted maple) was also an additive to this new garden.

Onto Wednesday, A surprising very cold and windy morning. We started out finishing off with the planting of the new Hostas, Trees and perennials. Later in the day the accessioning had begun for all of the new additions. To end off the day we began weeding the gardens that aren't seen by many, but still a nice addition to Cuddy gardens. The gardens down by tool shed was much deserving of a make over with weeding, pruning, trimming and edging.

Thursday June 9th, we had to complete the make over to the gardens down by the tool shed. Planting out of the annuals had begun throughout the gardens.  After lunch Yujing and myself began watering and fertilizing the hoop houses where a nest of new born robins were found. New life is never ending here at Cuddys, flowers or animals!

Finally we have reached the end of our work week. We began the day out taking out the never ending thistles at the road border. In bloom gorgeous pink Peonies. While James started on the weed whacking and Lawn cutting throughout the entire day. Next we tackled dutch hoeing the rose gardens and the perennial boarder. To finish off the afternoon, the watering must be done before we leave for the weekend!

By: Alison Meeuse