It’s July and that means for much of the country, it’s hot. After the weeks and weeks of snow, ice and cold we had last winter, I probably shouldn’t complain. But I dislike hot temperatures almost as much as I do cold.
The good news is that at this time of year, the smartest thing a gardener can do is maintain the garden you have and don’t try to make too many changes. I see some folks asking about planting. And it sure is tempting, especially if you are moving into a new home and are anxious to landscape. But, I don’t recommend it. Fall is just around the corner and is one of the best times of year to plant. So for now, just keep weeding, deadheading and watering deeply to help your precious plants through the heat.
So what do relaxed gardeners do when it’s too hot to be outside planting?
They go and find someone else’s garden to enjoy. Read on for a few of my favorite things to do at this time of year to keep my gardening enthusiasm alive and prepared for fall.
Visit a Botanical Garden – as a Student, Not Just a Visitor
While it may be tempting to stay indoors and get your inspiration from Pinterest or YouTube videos, one of the best things you can do is get out of the house and visit a local botanical garden. There’s something about being there in person that rivals on-line visits.
Two of my personal favorites near to where I live are Longwood Gardens and Winterthur. Longwood Gardens is well-known as one of the best botanical gardens in the country. I have visited more times than I can count and am always inspired when I go there. As an aside, one of my favorite times to visit is around Christmas for the not-to-miss light displays. But if you want to visit as a student, being here during spring, summer and fall are the best times to learn for outdoor gardening.
Each year beds of perennials, annuals, and shrubs provide inspiration for which plants do well together. And you can see how they fair in the current growing conditions, like the heat of July and August.
Winterthur, while not as large as Longwood, also provides inspiration for which plants to grow and how to group them together.
We are fortunate to have many botanical gardens throughout the United States. A simple Google search should help you to find one near you. Then take a notebook and pen and your trusty camera and prepare to be inspired.
Visit the Hidden Gardening Gem in Every State – Cooperative Extension Demo Gardens
One of the most underutilized resources that home gardeners have is their local cooperative extension office. Every state has what is known as a land-grant university. Here in Pennsylvania, it’s Penn State University.
A land-grant university is a U.S. institution designated by its state to receive federal funding under the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890. They were created to democratize higher education and teach agriculture, engineering, and military science, alongside traditional liberal arts. Later in 1914, the Cooperative Extension system was set up to create a partnership between land-grant universities, the USDA and local county governments. Their mission was to bring agricultural research and education directly to the public.
Local cooperative extensions manage the Master Gardener program who help to provide educational resources to the public. I was very lucky to go through the program and served as a Master Gardener volunteer for Penn State Cooperative Extension for 10 years. One of the projects I worked on was our demonstration garden, where we showcased native plants as well as trialed new species of annuals to see which ones performed best in our environment.
Many cooperative extension offices have demonstration gardens similar to the one I worked on. They are great places to tour and get ideas for plants that will do well in your area. Simply Google your county and cooperative extension to find the resources in your area.
Attend a Summer Workshop
Many botanical gardens, horticultural societies and cooperative extension offices as well as garden centers, greenhouses and senior centers offer summer workshops. You can learn about things like herbal preservation, late summer and fall planting, garden design and native plants.
Not only do you learn a lot but it also gives you a chance to interact with fellow gardeners and share common problems and solutions.
Take a Garden Tour
Many garden clubs, horticultural societies, and historical societies organize summer garden tours. These are usually self-guided tours of private gardens throughout an area. The homeowners are present to answer any questions you may have.
My favorites ones to tour are in historic districts where some of the backyard spaces are limited. I love to see the creativity of these homeowners and am always inspired by how they create such welcoming spaces.
Can’t find a tour? Why not get together with a few of your gardening friends and visit each other’s gardens. Ask everyone to provide light refreshments at in their garden to encourage everyone to linger and really soak in the environment.
The Other Side of Gardening Life
We can get overwhelmed by all of the to-dos that keep us in our own gardening bubble. Take the opportunity to get a new perspective and fresh ideas by visiting other people’s gardens.
You’ll come home with lots of ideas and a renewed enthusiasm for your own special space.
