Iris 'Batik'

Memorial Day is nearing. First begun as remembrance after the Civil War, today’s Memorial Day more often is celebrated as the kick-off for summer. To be sure, there are still those who will visit cemeteries and decorate loved ones’ grave sites with flowers but more often these days it means a day off work and a cook-out.

As a kid, I remember trucking a little red wagon with Mason jars of iris and peonies to sell at our plat’s entrance street. In the late 60s and early 70s we were WAY out in the county on St. Rt. 48 right on the county line of Montgomery and Warren Counties. Even so, there were people who stopped to purchase flowers from a little skinny kid with a wagon of flowers. I always think of those days when my ‘flags’ and ‘pineys’ are in bloom.

My backyard nature notes:

Wren Housebuilding 101

Sadly, the robin’s nest has apparently been raided by a raccoon and the orioles have moved on to a better neighborhood. I enjoyed the gift of one whole day to spy on a bay-breasted warbler (a first for me) before it continued on its South-America-winter-to-Canada-summer journey where it will make a new family. A wren is now trying to set up house in the same bluebird box that I removed 3 house sparrow nest attempts. Saturday, Keith found a Midland painted turtle out by the mailbox. Realizing that he wasn’t merely waiting to be picked up by the mailman, I relocated him to the woodlot behind my house where there is a small pond. Though not totally an aquatic turtle, the middies eat their food underwater and need to be near a source of water.

Midland painted turtle

Season for garden tours

There are several garden tours to highlight in this issue of the Vine:

Wogoman's hosta garden

Friday-Saturday, May 27 & 28: Glenda’s Garden. Gene and Glenda Wogoman, members of the Miami Valley Hosta Society will have their garden tour/hosta sale. Friday hours are 12-8 pm. Saturday hours are 10 am to 6 pm. The address is: 7620 Halderman Rd., West Alexandria, OH 45381.

June 1-5: Schnormeier Gardens Open House (Gambier, OH). Remember, it is only open to the public once a year! Check it out HERE.

Saturday, June 18: Osborn Historical District Garden Tours. Hours: 11 am to 5 pm. Look for garden tour signs at participating homes in and around the Osborn Historic District in Fairborn, OH. Questions? Call Debbie Downs at 937-754-1500.

Educational/Sales opportunities

These are all great events to check out:

June 11: 9 am to noon, “Gardening With Native Plants” workshop,  Sieben Hall, sponsored by the Marianist Environmental Education Center (MEEC) at Bergamo Center (4400 Shakertown Rd., Beavercreek OH 45430). $35, register early, space is limited.

June 18:  8 am to 1 pm, Native Plant Sale, sponsored by the Marianist Environmental Education Center (MEEC) at Bergamo Center (4400 Shakertown Rd., Beavercreek OH 45430)

July 8-10: Midwest Native Plant Conference (Bergamo Center, 4400 Shakertown Rd., Dayton OH 45430)