Storey staffers and friends share scenes from their summer landscapes and flower gardens.
While our friends in some parts of the country are suffering extreme heat and others are just on the other side of June’s record rainfall, summer is settling in nicely here in New England. Apart from last week’s uncomfortable temperatures, it’s been a pretty blissful month to get outside and make the most these long days. That means spending more time doing the things that make us happy, and less time on the less pleasant parts (read: lawn mowing). Inspired by a forthcoming book on growing mini meadows — low-maintenance, flower-filled plots of any size that add beauty, support pollinators and wildlife, and don’t need constant weeding (!) — you’ll see in this post that a few Storey gardeners have ceded (“seeded”?) sections of their lawns to this project and, now in their second year, the blooms are bumping and lawn mowers are taking a much-needed summer vacation! What’s blooming where you are? — Emily Spiegelman, Digital Content Manager
Lisa Hiley, Williamstown, Massachusetts
We call this the snowplow bed. My husband got tired of replanting the corner of our yard after the plows dig it up every winter, so we did this instead.
Our sidewalk mini meadow is coming up nicely.
Carleen Madigan, Loon Lake, New York
It’s my surprise mini meadow in its second year! Last year, it was just California poppies. This year, it’s allll dianthus. The butterflies are LOVING it.
Carolyn Eckert, Florence, Massachusetts
My only hydrangea bloom.
Just a weed, but it still looks pretty in the garden.
Regina Velázquez, Williamstown, Massachusetts
Our mini meadows came back despite near-total neglect! My husband planted wheat in one of the beds out of curiosity, so we have flowers + wheat (or “amber waves of grain,” as our daughter calls it).
Melinda Slaving, North Adams, Massachusetts
MaryAnn Nøbben, Norway
We’ve just had a lovely and very much needed rain and the earth is loving it. This has been the driest summer in the 24 years I have been here and the farmers are suffering badly. Fortunately for us, we can pump water directly up from the lake onto the fields and we may have the chance for a second harvest to feed the cows this winter. The garden has survived surprisingly well with only minimal watering — good root systems and good ground cover.
Looking out my kitchen window. I love the color combinations.
