Hope Is a Garden
The heat and humidity were quite intense in July. It was almost a relief when the ripe raspberries started being eaten by some hungry critter, putting an end to an hour-long harvest session every day. Then the tomatoes started ripening mid-month, cherries first. The New Girl tomatoes don’t have the vigor of the cherry tomatoes or heirlooms and yet again the tomatoes in the front garden aren’t doing as well as those in the back. This feels like a final confirmation that I would do well to keep annuals out of the front and increase tree cover to protect from the hot afternoon sun. Before I left for NYC on July 23rd, even the Rudbeckia looked droopy from not enough rain. I generally refuse to water non-edibles, so it’s always worrisome when the native perennials, which I expect to be the most resilient, are clearly struggling.