Sometime during this years Fair at the Fairgrounds, the main sign for our Firewise Demonstration Gardens was ripped off it’s post…most likely an accident. It has taken a while to get it repaired, but this week Mike Nelson donated and installed a large heavy-duty post that will not be easily damaged! Thank you, Mike!
Up on the grape vine post you will see a bird house that Mike also installed last spring. It housed TWO families of swallows – one right after the other! Mike cleaned it out this fall so it is all ready for next spring. The swallows that created the nest used grasses and pigeon feathers to line it!
There were TWO crops of grapes on the grape vines this year as well and lots of yummy strawberries and figs. Our little fig tree put on a lovely crop this year.
We harvested a good crop of Showy Milkweed seed from the Monarch Butterfly Garden. If you are interested in growing this beautiful native Milkweed to support the Monarchs, please contact me at barb22 at manddalaarts.com.
The gardens are doing well overall. A few plants have struggled with the conditions and a few plants have done so well we had to take them out because they threatened to take over the bed they were in! This winter we will thin out a few things and dig a few volunteer plants that are great plants but in the “wrong” place. We will keep you posted.
Happy fall!
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