Hello My Dear Gardening Friends

Hail on the Pine Trees
The hail falls pitter patter
And fiercely rattles down upon
The brave old pine trees hat.
- Basho

Hopefully we are finished with the hail and snow for a while, as May is here, bringing with it those pleasant chores, we have waited so long to be able to perform

To eliminate insect larvae, spray roses, woody shrubs and fruit trees with dormant oil when all danger of daytime frost is past but before the buds open.

Carefully rake lawns to remove the winter thatch and snow mold, if possible aerate to improve oxygen in the soil.

Plant those potted roses that you could not resist buying.

This is a good time to put down shredded bark mulch, no coloured mulch please, we do not want the dye in our gardens. Spread the mulch about 2 inches thick over the ground before those nasty weeds have a chance to sprout – it will also retain moisture for you – which we will need once the heat arrives – remember last year's hot, hot, summer?

Whilst you are cleaning up be very careful and watch out for dangerous spiders. All spider bites are quite toxic, another reason for you to wear gloves in the garden – The Recluse spider is often found in woodpiles and old rotten wood. It is a large brown furry thing, check your pets, sometimes they attach themselves to the pet’s fur!!

Keep your eyes open too, for poison ivy; it is always toxic – no matter what the season, even those little white "sticks" with balls on the stem.

Tarantulas have six small eyes
To see around the room,
While bumblebees have five bright eyes
To see into each bloom
Most creatures have only two eyes
Though you may wonder then
Why horses have a pair of eyes
While horseshoe crabs have ten
- Charles Ghingna

Wrote this charming little poem, it is taken from a children's book called Animal Tracks, Wild Poems. If you have young children I am sure that they will enjoy your reading these poems to them.

May – how wonderful that sounds, my daffodils are just a riot, in the garden they are being followed by masses of tulips – such a gratifying time of year, I remember those cold fingers in the fall when I was supplementing the existing bulbs, thinking why am I torturing myself this way, today I discovered why, such a mass of colour.

Plant sales are coming up, now is a very good time to divide your perennials, be generous, for not only will your organizations benefit, but so will your plants, give them room to spread their roots, add a little fertilizer by way of a thank you to Mother Nature, soon everyone will be happy, for the sun will be warm – tonight it was not dark until 8:30 cheers!!!

I am back at work, on Saturday we had a most welcomed visitor, our dear store manager Brian came to see us, he had a full beard, grown out of necessity for he is taking chemo, and must not run the risk of cutting himself and adding an infection to the problem – Brian you are in our hearts and prayers, we miss you – come back to us very soon.

It is the second week in May and there is so very much to do, more rain is in the forecast, much needed on the gardens, but oh how the grass is growing. Hopefully you have had your mowers sharpened before you start work.

It is three quarters of the way through May and I still have not given you any chores to do. Other than break the ice, it has been so very cold and wet, what is the saying? A cold wet May is good for corn and hay!!! Not petunias I am afraid, although it has been so very cold, you are still purchasing plants and flowers, I tell everyone, do not plant them yet, when the heat does arrive we all know that things will change overnight.

I was in the dollar store the other day and found "hot caps" of plastic for those plants that are already in the garden (shame on you to put them through this cold) If you do not have these plastic covers, try cutting the bottom off a plastic pop bottle, works just as well.

Grief melts away
Like snowing in May,
As if there were no such cold thing.

Occasionally we will get a snow fall in May, this period of cold weather usually happens around the 10th of May, they even have a name for it - it is called "blackberry winter".

It comes when blackberries are in bloom, sometimes dropping white flakes into the white flowers. Fortunately the cold doesn't bite through to the hard, green, incipient berries nestled behind the white petals, seldom does blackberry winter last more than a week – I hope Mother Nature is reading this piece of information!

During the fourth quarter of the moon, it is a good time to fertilize, side-dress with mulch or compost, thin and cultivate. The sign changes on the 21st of May, Gemini takes over with his twin characteristics; dryness and barrenness. This is the time to destroy unwanted plant life (like my Pampas grass) trim, weed, cut timber and fence posts. Timing to destroy or harvest is just as important as timing to nurture life. Destroying weeds under the Twins gives the benefit of both timing and rhythm, for living things on earth constantly swing between life and death.

Spring Snuck Into My Garden

Spring snuck into our Garden
As the crocus peeked through melting snow
Their purple arms open slowly
To feel the warmth of the sun's soft glow
The narcissus nodded lion's heads
In friendly waves of greeting
And I wondered how the seasons passed
And each could be so fleeting.

– by Kathryn Clark
This little poem was written by a beloved granddaughter – thank you Kathryn.

As you can see May has slipped away, bringing with it the death of two dear friends and the third, a colleague’s mother – it is still raining – but last week we had a visit from a beloved "executive" at Loblaws – it was so delightful to see Anthony, please come anytime, we really enjoy your visits. Thank you for these kind words, "this is the prettiest and best kept garden centre I have seen on my travels" Deborah works so very hard to keep it thus. She has trained us all to pick up the broom whenever it starts to look messy.

We had someone come all the way from Whitby (about 50 miles each way) to purchase plants as she can only find what she looking for with us. Praise indeed on such a cold wet day. This is my 6th week working so far and I have not had a single day without some rain – Jack, it is enough, you can stop sending rain now.

We have a small mystery; someone called the Master Gardener's hotline in Peterborough asking for the name of plant that they know as Lady –of-the –Night. A perennial that spreads easily, resembles a dandelion, with long soft leaves, 6 to 8 inches in length red, rhubarb coloured stems, the flower buds look like seed pods, it opens only at night, by morning it is finished, The flower bud gives a small shake and opens at once – the bud grows from the side of the stem, but when open stands straight up – We understand that this is probably a weed – but no one can track it down – do any of you know just what this is please? We are stumped. As you are aware master gardeners "never give up" somewhat like the Mounties, who "always get their man"

I am going to finish for June is upon us, Friday is the anniversary of D-Day – I will light the candle for Freddy – one of the first Canadians killed at Beny-sur-Mer. Such a waste of young lives.
- Anthem for Doomed Youth

What passing bells for these who die as cattle
Only the monstrous anger of the guns
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can pattern out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries for them; no prayers nor bells,
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs –
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing down of blinds
- Wilfred Owen

Good Gardening – hopefully the warm weather will be here very soon – at least the grass is still green (even if long).

Hats, gloves, SUNSCREEN, bug repellent with DEET (they the bugs are very bad this year) do not forget your hat.

– Lovingly, Beryl