Cool summers make for hardy gardeners

This summer is going down as the coolest summer on record. It’s not really cool though, when you find yourself firing up the wood stove in July to get some heat in your summer evening. And who wants to garden wearing slicker pants, a turtleneck and wool socks?

The only winners in this summer’s rain-fest are the perennials and the native species, and even the perennials are having second thoughts about flowering before freeze up.

It is weird to see plants that should have bloomed by July 4th still looking like they’re stuck in a June mode.

My tall perennials like Delphiniums, Monkshood and Veronica are huddling up trying to keep warmer near the soil. There won’t be any show stoppers this year.

Folks are complaining that their lilies have tiny flower buds and are barely growing. There are another four to six weeks left of growing season, so, the lilies will probably bloom just in time for Labor Day.

That last snowfall in April caused a lot of cane damage in my hardy roses. On the plus side, they’re suckering out from the base with lots of new canes, so next year should have a lot of bloom.

Willow gardener and writer Les Brake sent me comparison photos of his garden from last July and this. What a difference some sunshine and heat makes. Usually, Les’ Coyote Gardens is dressed in full color by mid-summer, but, this year they were so far behind the garden looked like nature had hit the pause button in June.

The Garden and Art Festival at the fairgrounds in July was another resounding success. Even the sun came out and dried off the affair. Fairgoers wore an interesting couture mix of fleece jackets and gum boots to shorts and down jackets with sandals. Our local Cabbage Fairies updated their finery with new peplums skirts of several shades and textures of green, big poofy roses, and very hip knee socks printed with cabbage roses. We were all determined to have summer whether nature cooperated or not.

If you’re feeling blue about your blasé annuals, you’re in good company. Even the State Fair annuals look a bit slow this year. As usual, Becky Myrvold and her staff have chosen some fabulous combinations, but we’re going to need a couple of weeks of sun for them to hit their stride in time for this year’s fair. While you’re at the fair, take notes on what annuals look good after a lousy summer and focus on planting those next year.

Perhaps we should concentrate on next year’s garden instead of moaning about our losses.

Gardeners can plant perennials right into the end of September, so, start shopping now. New plants will need gentle handling if you’re transplanting late in the season. Try not to disturb the roots too much and give them a deluxe hole in the ground.

Remember the old adage: Plant a $5 tree in a $50 hole. If the plant is root bound you might try to loosen it up by soaking it in a bucket of water with a smidgen of fertilizer in it, but don’t cut into the roots. If you have to you can pull the plant next spring and prune the roots to stimulate growth.

Given the long-range weather forecast of warmer-than-average temperatures from October to December, you never know what Mother Nature will throw at us. Just pop your perennials in the garden, water well if it actually decides not to rain anymore, and hope we get a decent snow cover this winter.

If your veggies look like compost you can always shop the local farmer’s market for plants and vegetables.

Friday Fling in Palmer ends Aug. 15, but the Wednesday Farmer’s Market in Wasilla’s historical park behind the library will have plenty to choose from until Sept.17. Both of these markets are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Palmer grower Bruce Bush has his produce stand open on the Old Glenn Highway just across the Matanuska River from Palmer from noon to 6 p.m. daily.

Whoops. What do you know? It’s already the end of the second week in August. The peonies are just starting to bloom, the roses are gorgeous, the lilies are almost ready to open, and the gardener feels like she’s caught in some weird time-warp.

Maybe we’ll get lucky and have a nice long warm September.

Now, what did I do with my sweater?

Brooke Heppinstall, artist and gardener, is the owner of Wool Wood Studio & Gardens, an art studio and nursery specializing in Alaska-grown perennials and shrubs. Visit online at Woolwood.blogspot.com.