Is your garden all but burned out? This is a great time to begin preparations for the autumn clean up. Cut back anything that is truly gone, such as delphiniums.
Take a look at the mess while it's still somewhat clear and consider what will be moved and where. And write it down. We think we'll remember, but frankly it never hurts to have a gardener's notebook or sketchbook on hand.
Consider what plants can be placed in the garden now for a spectacular show in the spring after the snow begins to melt.
As it happened, the Sawtooth Botanical Garden will host its sixth annual Unusual Bulb & Peony Sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4.
Members of the Sawtooth Botanical Garden are invited to a members-only pre-sale beginning at 9 a.m. in which coffee and baked goods will be served. If you're a tea drinker, bring your own.
"Bulbs are plants which have a specialized storage organ below the ground which produces new leaves and flowers in the spring, like onions and garlic," botanical garden Executive Director Jennifer Colson said.
Colson said bulbs are a particularly good choice in the Wood River Valley since many evolved in regions with alternating wet and dry seasons.
Local experts will be on hand at the botanical garden to answer questions and assist with selections.
The sale will feature fragrant daffodils, showy peonies, re-blooming irises, and species tulips, along with other goodies.
In the current issue of the American Gardener, bulb expert Becky Heath of Brent & Becky's Bulbs said, "Species tulips are becoming more popular because it seems voles have a harder time finding them."
Nice tip!
Proceeds from the sale will benefit the non-profit Sawtooth Botanical Garden, a public garden at the corner of Highway 75 and Gimlet Road, three miles south of Ketchum. The garden's mission is to educate and inspire people to live in balance with the natural world. The garden is open daily from dawn until dusk and is free to the public.
