The late spring and early summer bloom all around Bend has been spectacular this year. I don’t remember seeing the lilacs, roses, and peonies ever being quite so lush. The peonies is my garden have certainly never bloomed better. What fun, Be sure to pay attention to the yards as you drive around.
Central Oregon Wild Flowers
Gray Groundsel, Senecio canus
Narrow-leafed phacelia, Phacelia lineris and Tidytips, Layia glandulosa
A Hawthorn Tree
I am so excited. I just bought a ten foot hawthorn tree at Home Depot for $17.98, holy cow. A hawthorn tree has been on my wish list for a long time. My hesitation was where to put it, but with my septic system moved last fall, the old loction became the perfert place for a small tree. And to find it affordable besides! I figure at my age I had better get a hawthorn growing because it is such a great heart tonic. And it is beautiful as well; flowers, berries and hopefully some fall color.
Frosty Nights
There have been five or is it six frosty nights out here on the high desert. Do you know that when basil freezes it almost completely disappears. It is tough on geraniums, peppers and tomatoes also. After the first night, of course, I covered everything, but sure too late for the basil. It has not dropped too low, however, so the overall damage is minimal. Many times in June it will go to 20 degrees or so, that is really hard on the garden, and it may yet. But I still have apples!
Cheat Grass
Cheat grass. Bromus tectorum, the weed pest of the day. I have pulled bushels and it it still way ahead of me. Now is the time to get it under control, before the seeds mature. It is an annual grass that spreads by seed, so to control it, you must stop the seed. It is an alien species, coming from the steppes of Russia and has naturalized here very successfully. It is a problem as it competes with the native grasses and it is aggresive. When the seed ripens it is sharp, it sticks in your socks and shoes. It gets in dogs ears, (I have spent hundreds of dollars at the vet) between their paws and in their noses.
It is very lush this season, it loves the spring rains. I have never seen it so tall and robust. I have one area here it is so tall and thick that it actually lodged. Get out there now and pull that cheat grass.