Co-ordinator: Deborah Leskiw
The Friends’ headquarters in the property’s northeast corner is not open to the public, but can be viewed from the sidewalk along Rockland Avenue. It was the former residence of the head gardener. Early bulbs, hellebores, and peonies begin their long blooming season here, followed by azaleas and rhododendrons. The garden reaches its peak in late summer with a bouquet of hydrangeas, lilies, delphiniums, salvias, and galtonias.
Pruning a Laurel That’s Hardy
Colin ascends a steep ladder in order to get rid of some of the English laurel’s dead wood in the Cottage garden. English laurel can reach up to 15-20 ft. It can become quite dense thanks to its large and glossy evergreen leaves which can block unsightly views, reduce noise from busy roads, and act as a privacy hedge.
Regular pruning is essential, though, as left to its own devices, laurel can easily start to get out of control, becoming wider and wider and taking up more space.
Because the sap is in the roots, it’s safe to trim when the sap goes from the branches to the roots in late fall (or early spring) when the plants are dormant.
A much-needed cottage refresh welcomes Tuesday and Thursday gardeners.
