Hi All, Hope everyone has had a good week! It’s been a busy one at the PGG for the Open Gardens Weekend (OGW) that begins Saturday, June 27 from 4 – 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Garden hosts came by Monday or Wednesday to pick up materials including signs advertising the OGW. As you drive around our fair city, keep an eye out for these signs. They’re everywhere!
There were 13 Project GREEN volunteers in attendance on Monday morning from 9 – 11 a.m. The temperature was 65 degrees at 9 a.m. and 69 degrees at 11 a.m. Lovely morning! The Air Quality was 27, described as “good”. Since June 15 to June 21 (week 7) there had been 3.45 to 3.55 inches of rain. We’re all grateful for every drop. Those in attendance were: Diane Allen 6 hours, Chris Ostrander, 4 1/2 hours, Jerri Harding 2 1/2 hours, Jim Peters 4 1/2 hours, Nick Goergen, Monica Hoherz, Rina Sjolund, Susan Ahrens, Linda Bergquist, Evelyn Frey 4 hours, Cindy Parsons 7 hours, Pat Yeggy, Erin Buscher 2 1/2 hours. All were ready for a good morning of gardening.
Our list of goals included: signing-up for PGG hosting duties Saturday and/or Sunday, picking up OGW maps, checking Project GREEN flowerbeds for weeds to pull, adding statues to gardens, helping clean-up garage, finishing mulch pile in driveway, Nick gave an up-date for Lunar Horizon, fertilizing all beds with 13-13-13 fertilizer. Whew! Another LONG list, but Project GREEN volunteers accepted the challenge!
Pictures, anyone?
The Lamium Bed is a beauty this year! It’s filled with pink blooming lamium, silver mound, and annual lantana. This bed is located next to the garage.
A Baltimore Oriole feeder has been placed on a branch of the mature Tulip Tree located north of the garage. The dish has been filled twice during Week 8 with grape jelly. Thanks to Cindy for purchasing the new feeder.
Here are the numbers after 8 weeks volunteering at the Project GREEN Gardens. Weeks 1 – 7 + Week 8 = 453 1/2 hours + 43 + 3 hours writing this summary
= 499 1/2 hours for our fantastic Project GREEN volunteers!
Have I mentioned lately how awesome Project GREEN volunteers are??? Well, you are!!! The Gardens ALL look superb! It’s truly a joy to walk (or ride Fern) and OOOH and AAHHH while traveling from one beautiful bed to the next. Well done, everyone!
A big shout-out to the Iowa City Parks and Recreation department for all the extra care given to the PGG this past week! Cindy and I have had questions that needed answering ASAP and we were grateful to get as much help as needed! The mowing west of the hiking/biking trail next to the meandering Iowa River looks so nice. As always, thanks to Steve Erickson + crew for clearing away our weekly piles of debris. It’s been fun to get to know Alex Lorack and appreciate his help. We miss Tyler Baird, but are happy to know he’s enjoying a well-deserved vacation. Many thanks to Juli Seydell Johnson for her assistance finding Alex L and helping to get him back to the Gardens a second time for more questions. Thanks to Josh Worrell for hanging an extension ladder from the garage ceiling and cleaning up and sealing off the mouse house/doorway in the rear of the garage. Also, thanks to the crew who got the grass cut making the Gardens ready for hundreds of visitors at the Open Gardens Weekend event!
One more BIG thank you to Linda Schreiber and master gardeners. Their prairie bed, which is three years old, is a wonderful addition to the Gardens! The continued care of the fire-pit prairie is a huge commitment. Well done to each of you!
Looking forward to seeing old and new Project GREEN friends at this weekend’s Open Gardens Weekend. We will have maps available and cold water for visitors. The lower level restroom will be available for our guests. Tours will be offered upon request.
It’s sprinkling as I type. Yeah! It’s a relief to know flowers, shrubs, trees are getting a drink. Happy Gardening! Diane