With your spring gardening projects behind you, now is the time to look toward vacation and travel. If you are a gardener or just someone who enjoys beautiful gardens, here are some suggestions for a weekend getaway or day trip.
The Atlanta Botanical Garden is worth the trip by itself, but this summer they are featuring mosaiacultures. Mosaiacultures are giant topiary frames covered in plant materials.
Creating mosaiculture sculptures takes nearly half a year. It began in fall 2017 when conceptual drawings for the pieces were developed in Montreal, metal frames were fabricated and plant palettes were chosen. The empty frames were shipped to Atlanta in January 2018, and the Garden’s horticulturists began covering them with a mesh fabric and stuffing them with soil. Then the planting commenced – inserting more than 200,000 plants, primarily annuals, one by one. Intricate irrigation systems beneath the surface of the sculptures allow the plants to grow – and the creatures to flourish – in Atlanta’s summer heat.
The exhibit runs through Oct. 27. The theme this year is “Imaginary Worlds: Alice’s Wonderland.” A giant White Rabbit towers at more than 27 feet tall as it floats inside an upside-down umbrella in the Skyline Garden pond. That tops even the Garden’s resident Earth Goddess sculpture at 22 feet. On the Skyline lawn is an expansive chess board bordered by nine heart “trees,” each more than 12 feet tall, with a giant Cheshire Cat poised nearby. Alice herself is on hand, just elsewhere in the Garden. Who’s up for the challenge of finding her?
This is worth seeing. Check out more of these outstanding creations at their Gainsville garden (both gardens are closed on Mondays).
A little closer to home, potentially as a day trip, take the kids or grandkids to Cheekwood in Nashville to see Storybook Houses now through Sept. 1.
Experience the magic of five of your favorite childhood classics re-imagined in Cheekwood’s gardens. Visitors of all ages will enjoy these whimsical playhouses inspired by beloved illustrators, including, “Oh, The Places You’ll Play” inspired by Dr. Seuss, “Hill Top Garden” inspired by Beatrix Potter, “Charlotte’s Barn” inspired by Garth Williams, “We Are Wild” inspired by Maurice Sendak and “TRAINS!” inspired by Loren Long.
Here are a few garden jobs for when you are at home.
June to-do list
- Plant: Divide and replant bearded iris; cut leaves back to 6 inches after transplant.
Plant now for a fall display like this flaming beauty of a gladiolus. Photo by John Kratz via flic.kr/p/ukeuX. Plant tomatoes late this month for fall harvest. Choose and plant day lilies when in bloom to assure you have the color you like. Gladiolus planted now will give lovely fall blooms. Plants such as sunflowers, zinnias, Mexican sunflower, cosmos, basil and dill can still be direct-seeded.
- Lawn care: Fertilize Zoysia and Bermuda with a complete fertilizer. Mow fescue to three inches in heat.
- Fertilize: Late-blooming azaleas after they bloom.
- Prune: Deadhead flowers to encourage rebloom. Pinch back chrysanthemums. Remove blackberry fruiting canes after harvest. Prune new canes to encourage side branching.
- Other: Water early in the day, and it’s best not to get the foliage wet. Watch for insects and fungal diseases and treat as needed. Mulch and weed as needed. Be on the lookout for mosquitoes! With all of the rain we are having, these pesky insects are sure to be in abundance. Keep plant saucers, buckets, trash cans and children’s toys poured out. Make sure your gutters are draining properly, and change the water in birdbaths every three to four days. In areas where standing water cannot be avoided, use environmentally friendly mosquito dunks. These dunks are made from a naturally occurring bacterium called Bti (Bacillus thruingiensis israelensis). Dunks can be purchased at nurseries and most home improvement stores.
TOM RIEMAN of Bartlett is a Shelby County Extension Master Gardener and secretary of the Bartlett City Beautiful Commission. Keep Bartlett Beautiful is among the activities of this commission. Contact him at thrieman@aol.com.
