If you’re looking for something new to do this summer that will spark your gardening creativity and provide you with an exceptional gourmet lunch, check out Pickity Place in Mason NH. One of the buildings was the inspiration for the illustrations in the beloved tale of “Little Red Riding Hood.”
Pickity Place is located atop a long mountain drive and the grounds consist of five sections of gardens that are beautiful and inspiring with their unique plant combinations. There is an herb drying shed, greenhouses, and a gift shop among other things. They don’t serve alcohol with lunch but feel free to bring your own – and please make reservations as the restaurant fills up quickly. https://www.pickityplace.com/pages/see-pickity
MONARCHS AND MILKWEED
(without one we will lose the other)
The population of monarchs has decreased by 90% in the last 20 years due to pesticides and climate change. Milkweed is a food source and a host plant for monarch eggs. When the larvae hatch, they munch on the underside of the leaves – milkweed is the only plant they eat. There is a chemical compound in milkweed that will make monarch caterpillars and butterflies unappetizing to predators. Isn’t Mother Nature clever?!
To add milkweed to your garden, check with your local nursery and ask about companion plants too. Milkweed loves full sun so plant it with other sun-loving, long-blooming native plants such as yarrow, butterfly weed, asters, summer sweet, joe-pye weed, goldenrod, obedient plant, and ironweed (to name a few). This will provide nourishment (nectar) for the monarch’s long winter migration to Mexico, which is an impressive 3000 miles!
Baby Birds
At one time or another, I think we have all come across a baby bird that has fallen out of its nest. Do you help it back into the nest or leave it be? If you touch the little one, can our scent really cause the parents to reject it? The Mass Audubon Society has a terrific, easy-to-follow flow chart that will explain what to do, and not do, to help those baby birds.
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