Thornden Park Association Garden Tour

Next Sunday, June 21st, the Thornden Park Association will be hosting its 17th annual garden tour of the Syracuse University neighborhood area. Select private gardens will be featured and open to the public from 1pm - 4pm. Admission is $10 (proceeds go to the association's efforts to upkeep Thornden Park), which is payable at the field house located at Thornden Park. Read more about the tour here.

I highly recommend the tour, as you get to meet the gardeners themselves. This allows for the opportunity to ask questions or discuss anything that might peak your interest about their garden. As a matter of fact our garden was featured last year (not this year however, maybe next!). The variety of gardens on the tour is also quite amazing; large and small, sunny and shaded, open and wooded. You'll probably also see a new plant that you'll want to try at home. It's definitely worth it!

The End of Iris Season

When the iris are in bloom I feel like I'm in a candy store. Not only because of the colors and shapes, but more importantly the scent! I'm waiting for the day when iris-flavored candy will be invented, which is probably doubtful since they're quite toxic. I'll just have to settle for the few weeks of scent in May and June (and gin, which is partly flavored with iris root). Anyway, here is some of the "candy" of the garden:

'Supreme Sultan' (bought this at the farmer's market!)

possibly 'Flavescens', a cultivar dating back

to 1813

possibly 'Honorabile', from 1840

'Warchief'

'Before the Storm', by far the most strongly-scented

iris in the garden (and one of the most beautiful)

Commenting Problem

Hi all - Just letting you know that I'm aware of the problem with the comment section, and I'm working on it! Check back often :)