Reflections on a Rainy Day
It’s already August. Hydrangeas are beginning to fade. Day lilies are past their prime. Grasses are sending up plumes. The sedums are itching to pop. In the blink-of-an-eye, mums and pumpkins will be showing up on every doorway.
This summer has passed so quickly. It’s tough to think summer is coming to an end when it is only the beginning of August but such is the nature of the industry. We are already preparing for the Christmas season and making plans for next year’s growing season.
Today, though, instead of looking ahead I am going to take a moment to relax and remember what a great season this has been.
This spring we were witness to an amazing display of our rhododendrons. The colors were rich and the abundance of flowers was just amazing. A spectacular display to welcome spring and shake away the winter blues. The hydrangeas brought deep, intense blues to the summer gardens. And the Russian Sage continues to impress.
We had some great guest speakers visit us this season. Particularly great were C.L. Fornari and David Clapp. C.L.’s knowledge of Cape gardening is second to none and her fun and engaging talks are always entertaining and a highlight of the summer. David, from Mass Audubon, provided one of the most entertaining conversations on birds that I have heard. It was quite the treat to sit in and hear his talk on bringing birds to your garden.
And of course, our customers. It is always fun when our local customers come in each spring and helping them fulfill the garden of their dreams (or their dream for this summer). And for our seasonal customers, it is always great to see you return each year to catch up and find the perfect plants for you. Thank you everyone.
So now we look forward. Summer is not over yet even though we are ordering mums and planning for Christmas. Remember, the best time to plant is in the fall. As you enjoy the rest of your beach days, take some notes of what you would like to do in your garden and bring them to us. We will do our best to fulfill your garden dreams and make your garden the desire of your neighborhood.
Garden Center Summer Sale: June 17 – 30
Are you looking to spruce up your gardens before the big cookout over the July 4th holiday? Want to impress your family and friends with your latest find? Need that one plant to pull your outdoor room and garden together? Visit us these next two weeks for a big Garden Center sale event.
All trees and shrubs – Save up to 35% off!
Plant of the Week: June 13th – 16th
The temperature is rising, the beaches are filling up and the spring bloomers are making their curtain call. After a stunning show on Cape Cod, the spring blooming shrubs are wrapping up their performance and giving the stage over to summer blooming annuals and perennials. To celebrate the closing of the show we are having a cast party! Rhododendrons. Azaleas. Lilacs. Forsythia. Deutzia. Andromeda. Join the celebration by taking 25% off the retail price of select spring-flowering shrubs. Also coming to the cast party, all trees are 30% off! It’s a good week to visit Snow’s Garden Center.
The “New” Field Guide
Yesterday, we were lugging around a five-pound field guide, fumbling with our backpack to pull the guide out, spending 30 minutes flipping through pictures and descriptions of trees, narrowing down our options and still relying on our best educated guess. Today, we pull out our mobile phone, snap a picture of a leaf and receive an instant response from the U.S. National Herbarium at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Then we continue on our way with a lighter backpack and more time to hike.
The next generation of field guides has arrived. Leafsnap, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institute, Columbia University and the University of Maryland, has been the talk of the Garden Center the past few days since we first read about it here. While there are still some bugs to work out, the new mobile app is very impressive and a lot of fun. Simple to use. Just snap a picture and the visual recognition software retrieves the best matches and displays stunning pictures on your mobile screen.
Personally, I am very excited with the collaboration of the aforementioned institutions and the work they are doing. Knowing Leafsnap is “the first in a series of electronic field guides being developed” has me dreaming of the possibilities of what is next. With the Smithsonian’s vast collections the possibilities seem endless. Birds? Insects? Wildflowers? Animal tracks?
The mobile app is currently available for the iPhone and iPad with promises of an Android version later this summer (yay for me!).
Plant of the Week: June 6th -12th
Plant of the Week? Let’s make that Plants of the Week. This week we will be showcasing three plants, each with a special price of 25% off.
Have a patio or yard you want to dress up with some iconic Cape Cod flowers?
We have Hydrangeas.
Need a summer snack while you relax on your patio enjoying your new hydrangeas?
We have Grapes.
Need to hide neighbor’s yard so you can enjoy your grapes and hydrangeas?
We have Leyland Cypress.
Plant of the Week: May 30th – June 5th
This summer, here at Snow’s Garden Center, we will be featuring a different plant each week and offering the item to you at a 20% savings. That’s a pretty sweet deal. Stop by the store or check the blog regularly to find the latest Plant of the Week. If this week’s plant is not for you, do not despair, your dream plant my be just a week away. So without further ado, our first Plant of the Week for Summer 2011…
Green Mountain Boxwood
Buxus x ‘Green Mountain’
Plant Type: Shrub, Evergreen
Cold Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9
Light Needs: Partial to Full Sun
Water Needs: Needs regular watering, weekly – more often in extreme heat
Average Size: 5 feet tall, 3 feet wide
Growth Rate: Moderate
Special Features: Deer Resistant
Landscape Uses: Border, Hedge, Mass Planting, Specimen, Topiary
Your Vegetable Garden
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance. A day to commemorate the men and women who gave their lives while in military service. The day also marks the unofficial start of the summer season. A day filled with family gatherings, barbeques and fireworks.
On Cape Cod, Memorial Day is also significant for every farmer and home gardener of Barnstable County. The day marks the average last spring frost for our area. It’s the start of the summer gardening season. Time to start digging in the earth and raised beds. Time to harden off the young tomatoes and prepare to plant them for a summer of fresh food. Time to plant squash, corn and beans. It is the time the home gardener has been waiting for… after weeks of watching your seeds grow indoors it is finally time to plant your vegetable garden.
So get outside, dig in the soil and enjoy this time of the year knowing your dreams of fresh picked fruits and vegetables will soon be realized.
Rain, Rain, Go Away…
If you are like me or everyone here at Snow’s for that matter, you have grown tired of this weather. Don’t get me wrong, rain and overcast days are great for the garden and wonderful for a lazy day at home with a good book in hand. But enough is enough already. Where’s the sun? Where’s the warmth that spring is suppose to bring? To lift my spirits, I’m going to check out The Rhododendron Festival at the Heritage Museum & Gardens in Sandwich. The festival is in full swing this week and is promising gardens full of color and life to remind us that spring is truly here and warm, sunny days are right around the corner. My vegetable garden will surely be happy for the promise of sun, as will I.
Pico de Gallo
This past week was Cinco de Mayo, a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. Across the United States people of all ages celebrated the richness of Mexican culture through special events centering around music, dance, and food. The Mexican culture uses food more than a simple means of nutrition; rather it is the connecting force in nearly all aspects of life. Food is culture… food is tradition… food is a celebration. 
One of my gardening goals this year is to enjoy garden fresh, homemade salsa all summer long. My drafting table has been temporarily converted into a grow station where seedlings of tomatoes, bell peppers, chile peppers and cilantro are beginning their life of providing tasty food. Every time I check on the seedlings I have images of summer evenings, relaxing after work, enjoying some chips and fresh salsa.
Pico de Gallo salsa recipe:
Ingredients:
Pico de Gallo. Credit: delish-blog.com
- 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 2 fresh chile peppers, mild or hot, seeded and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons red or yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Combine ingredients in a glass bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Can be refrigerated for up to 12 hours for more flavor infusion. Makes about 2 cups.
I will keep you posted on my salsa making adventures this summer. Perhaps you will join me and share your own adventures and recipes in the comments below.
If you have questions on what peppers and tomatoes are best, Gabe, our hot pepper expert and salsa guru will be happy to chat. He will be back at Snow’s in a couple of weeks. Come for a visit.
Happy Gardening!
Hummingbirds Return!
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds return to Cape Cod on April 23.
