Braiding the Garlic

Garlic is harvested in summer when the tops turn yellow. Once dug up, garlic can be left on the ground to dry. We decided an alternative approach. Braid the tops together then hang them in the shed. Our braiding effort was ~okay. We'll have to plant more and get further practice next year.

Here is the result:

A "Lee Valley" Moment

Renewing the Road Garden

On July 2, I wrote a blog about a design issue we had with the Road Garden: if plants are grouped in blocks, then, after they have blossomed, there is nothing new to obscure spent plants. Also, if the plants fail, then an entire area opens up to weeds. In the Road Garden, areas committed to Purple Prairie Clover, Yarrow, Prairie and Showy Goldenrod failed.

Road Garden planted on 1 June 2015

Left areas

Right area

   Here is our solution to that issue: intermix plants.

Road Garden replanted on 16 July 2018

We have intermixed several varieties in each area. They have different coloured blossoms and bloom at different times. And they vary in height. We planted the tallest ones first so that we could get a sense of where the "bulk" of the garden will be present. By the way, you will notice that the new plugs for the right hand area were intermixed with the existing Three Flowered Avens and Prairie Dropseed.

Here are the after photographs. Frankly, you do have to look closely to see the 180 plant plugs. We should start to see the results next year but, as you know, it takes native plants three years to come into full growth.

Left area after replanting

Right area after replanting