Welcome to May

May is the month we do most of our planting. The soil has warmed up, local nurseries are fully stocked, and the opportunity to share extra plants with like-minded gardeners is upon us.  I hope you will plant something that you haven’t done before—a strawberry jar with strawberry plants, a scented geranium or pineapple sage planted on the edge of your garden so that every time you brush past a wonderful fragrance is released.   

What about a fig tree? Whatever you decide will be good. Gardens are always evolving—if something doesn’t work out, try something else. For any gardener and especially new gardeners the website thespruce.com has good information. 

On May 23, Sharon Ott is presenting a program at the Center Moriches Free Public Library.  She will be reading “The Frightened Frog: An Environmental Tale.”  It describes how many places frogs used to live that have been taken away. The program includes live tadpoles and making origami frogs. Sign-up is at the library. 

On May 6, we have a guided tour scheduled at the Long House Reserve in East Hampton. Our regular monthly meeting is at the Peconic Herb Farm in Calverton at 1 p.m. After the meeting, we will have a guided tour of the herb farm. All are welcome; contact our president, Diane, at 631-325-1828 or dianesgarden48@gmail.com.

Last month some of our members planted tulips (donated by Kurt Weiss Greenhouses) at Oasis Rehabilitation Center in East Moriches. Several of our members participated in the Parkinson’s Unity Walk at Oasis. This was a first-time event; we walked around the grounds of Oasis, met new friends, had refreshments and received T-shirts. I hope it becomes an annual event. More information can be found at www.unitywalk.org.   

At a Second District design workshop, our design expert, Eileen DeRicco, presented some new designs that will turn up in flower shows. In the meantime, take a minute to create a design for yourself—plain or fancy.