Special Project

Lisa advising my mom and sister

We have a special project in process at my parents' summer cottage: to add some garden areas to a swale that channels the rain water that traverses their property. The gardens will increase the amount of water that stays on site, filtering it to improve the water quality and keeping some of the runoff from the lake.

Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea

The environmental specialist, Lisa, came over Saturday morning to advise us on what our options are, and we've decided to put two gardens in the swale: one in a sunnier area and one in a shadier area so that we can have two different mixes of plants.

Lavender Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum

There are so many different native plants that are available, and it was so much fun listening to the enthusiasm and knowledge that Lisa has. Her specialty is shoreline and water management, so she is the perfect person to advise us on this project.

Red Milkweed

Asclepias incarnata

We have several interim steps to do before we plant, and our planting date is the second weekend in October, when one of my sisters will be in town for the weekend.

Nodding Pink Onion

Allium cernuum

We all love gardening, and this is a new area for us.

We are really excited.