End-of-Season Sales, Mulching a Path, Bluestone Perennials, Caterpillars

Blossom's Garden Center is having their end-of-the season sale Thursday - tomorrow. Go grab some bargains to complete your garden.

As the beds in the back yard have grown and the shrubs have expanded, it was becoming a challenge to get in between things. Three weeks ago my garden column was on covering a patch of weeds with newspaper and then topping it with mulch. The photo on the left is the end result. One less slice of the back yard has to be mowed.






Bluestone Perennials website has an easy to use online catalog where you can browse their half-off everything sale.



The front of the bed in the photo is lined with Nepeta Walker's Low from Bluestone.This year I ordered several dozen plants from Bluestone - for my garden and for a few friends. One type of plant arrived looking less than desirable and they replaced it. Everything from them has taken root and thrived so far. So, I'm impressed.

Here's the progress report on the tiny Spicebush Butterfly Caterpillar found on what else? the Spicebush. In the first photo I put up he was brown, tiny. Now, look at it. Six more leaves have chew lines and are folded over. Inside each damaged leaf there is a pencil line of a tiny, brown caterpillar.



If the rains stops and we get some sun, the tomatoes and blackberries will have a chance to ripen. In the meantime, the snow pea vines are producing a month later than usual - a great bonus for the rainy weather.