Foggy, Foggy Dew

As the deadline grows near, many gardeners are busy planning their entries for the garden Club's annual Flower Show on July 9th. Those groans emanating from many gardens this week are the sighs of dismay made by gardeners who have just discovered that the perfect bud they were counting on has opened too early. For others it's the pesky slugs who've spoiled the pristine foliage, or the saucy chipmunk who (for the second year in a row!) has completely demolished the carefully cosseted Asiatic lilies. Whatever the cause, dreams of a prize-winning bloom are dashed.


And now, in what appears to be one of the wettest summers in years, gardeners are surveying their soggy gardens and wondering how they will manage to find any blossoms unscathed.


But, experienced gardeners are a philosophical lot, and they usually recover and move on. There are still many flowering shrubs and vines in bloom and, as Pollyanna might put it, "At least, this year we have an abundance of foliage to work with."


So, take heart, dear gardeners. Remember that you might impress even the sternest judge by incorporating unopened buds, grasses and seed heads in your compositions. Your garden is full of growing things, even if they are not the plants you hoped for. Check the specific parameters for each class of design and for plant specimens, as outlined in the Flower Show Schedule found in the link on the side of this column. Please note that entries must be brought to the Chester Legion either on the evening before the show (Wednesday, between 7 and 8 pm; or Thursday, between 8 and10 am). Don't miss out on the fun. Take the challenge!


Whatever your opinion of the weather, the rain has certainly caused a surge of greenery throughout the village. Witness the attack of the killer hydrangea (above).
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