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2009 General gardening July

Fourth of July, High Point of Summer


For me, the Fourth is the watershed of summer….everything builds to this place of heat, picnics, and fireworks, and is downhill from there on through to the last gasp of summer, Labor Day. Maybe because the mystery is gone by the fourth of July. I know whether my seedlings thrived, what the insect populations are likely to be, I’ve already harvested the cool crops and the tomatoes are at their marker point: I can see when the first wave of ripening is likely to occur.

If you want to see what tasks are scheduled in July for the Ohio Valley region:
July Garden tips

This past week my garden was blowzy with the drifts of feverfew that sprouted throughout the garden. The Shirley poppies are past their prime, but the bronze fennel which has self-seeded here is justt coming into it’s own. Fennel is one of those hazy plants that melds things in a soft focus sort of way.

I think the Annabelle hydrangea holds sway here by sheer ostentatiousness. Although I did notice how very effective it is for evenings and misty, cloudy days. The huge orbs of bloom seem to hold the light in the luminescent way that is so enchanting in that magic time between dusk and nightfall. It really is a moon garden entry, with white roses, and the impossibly large white Marie Boisselot clematis. I haven’t combined these in proximity, but it would work for those who want a ‘White Garden‘

Today, after writing the previous paragraphs, I took out a giant stand of overly healthy poison ivy. Then had to take a shower plus wash my hair to get rid of any oils that might create a reaction; ’cause I got it in my hair, on my arms, on my face, my feet, in fact I don’t know where it didn’t touch on my clothing, etc.

Now I need to rake it all up. Can’t burn it– because people can get allergic reaction from breathing in the smoke of poison ivy.

Well, now off to cook up some things on the grill in honor of the Fourth of July. Shish-ka-bob with a side of couscous is not exactly all-American fare, but tastes yummy. Just a fresh salad on the side with the grilled veggies from the Shish-ka-bobs. Lemon cake with fresh fruit and a dollop of ice cream,lemonade and tea to drink. Looking forward to it.


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Arrange the July garden around lilies »

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I was a garden blog pioneer, and began writing on this blog in 2003. Before that I had begun a garden website that has been at its own domain since 2006, Ilona's Garden.

I still love writing, gardening, and art after all these years, although travel and grandchildren have become a big part of my life, now.

Standouts

Do You Grow Herbs? 10 Reasons To Love Them

There are so many ways to enjoy herb plants, that they are not for herb gardens only. Think about tucking them into the landscape, into containers or into your home. I do I enjoy thee? Oh, Herb, Let me count the ways! 10 Ways I Enjoy Herbs (and you can, too!) In companion plantings, herbs […]

10 Cool Season Annual Flowers To Plant

Shirley poppies and Bachelor Buttons Not every garden writer alerts you to the fact that annuals can have seasons that are shorter than other choices. For places like Ohio which have hot summers, there are common annuals that only do well when our weather is cooler, such as in early summer. Those flowers sort of […]

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