Taking stock

 It’s been a strange year in my garden. Dogs have completely changed the look and feel of the place. Now I’m about to leave for almost four weeks away, which means I’ll miss much of the fall flowers and foliage color. Before I go, it’s time to assess progress toward this year’s gardening goals.

 

I'm delighted to be growing spotted bee balm at last

 
    This was the year of fencing for my yard. I had to enclose new plantings in wire fencing to keep dogs from digging up the new plants. Older perennials also needed protection in spots the dogs targeted for digging (maybe places where they detected the scent or sound of chipmunks underground?). 

 

Using fencing to deter digging dogs

 

I laid fencing flat on top of the mulch and tacked it down with earth staples. Although I had some unpleasant surprises when the dogs overcame my defenses, over all the fencing worked pretty well. Unfenced areas are another story—lots of groundcover was lost to thundering dog feet.

    My most successful project was a new perennial bed planted into sheet composting. I’d let the mix of leaves and wood chips decompose for two years, helped along by some compost to introduce helpful soil organisms and blood meal to give the organisms a nitrogen boost. This year I reaped the benefits: black, rich soil for planting (mostly) native perennials that could thrive in part shade.

 

Echinacea, heuchera and penstemon getting established in the new bed

 
    Across from them I again planted cutting flowers inside an enclosure backed up against the rabbit fence that defends the vegetable and insectary beds. I chose tall dahlias that I could pick without opening the fence. Getting inside is awkward because the two small beds have no gates; the ends of the fencing are secured to metal posts with twists of wire. Since September, the dahlias have been producing lots of flowers for the flamboyant bouquets I’d envisioned. 

 

Enjoying flowers indoors

Zinnias and celosias in the same bed have been less productive, probably because they’re overshadowed by the towering dahlia foliage. Next year I’m going to try growing zinnias in pots on the deck, where they’ll get lots of sun.

    The beds around the deck haven’t filled in as fast as I hoped when I planted them four summers ago. They got too much shade. There’s still plenty of leaf mulch visible. In fall it’s gratifying to see expanding goldenrods covered with flowers and drawing attention from bees. 

Goldenrod-if you plant it, they will come

 

Asters in the next bed complete the pollinator buffet.

 

New England asters are great for pollinators too

    Around the garden pond I planted several pollinator plants in spring 2020, picturing bulky native perennials attracting crowds of native insects. So far that’s been mostly a bust. Only three species have survived. This year mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) and wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) both sprawled inelegantly. 

 

Insects like mountain mint's odd green flowers

 

False aster (Boltonia asteroides), in contrast, shot straight up, producing one spindly stalk. Dry spells, lack of diligent watering, and frequent dog traffic are probably to blame for the others’ attrition. Next spring I’ll pinch the established plants frequently to keep them upright, fill the empty spots with more drought-tolerant selections—and protect the new plants with fencing.

 

A self-seeding volunteer aster is doing more for pollinators than any of my choices. Maybe native large leaf aster?