Of heat and beetles

July 20, 2012

Stacy here and it’s officially midsummer here at Fanshawe College. Summer this year can be described in two words: hot and dry. This week saw 47 degrees Celsius with humidity, the hottest day in London’s recorded history. The gardens definitely need supplemental water to keep them going. There are a lot of Japanese Beetles on campus this year eating their way around. The student gardeners think that it’s because of the mild winter we had.

The Guilty Party Popillia japonica

Leaf Damage

Only a few leaves left

There was a group from Chicago Illinois who came to visit the garden and said they got new plant ideas from the gardens at Fanshawe. They loved the gardens!

The summer crew pruned the Wisteria sinensis (Chinese Wisteria) vines in the woodland garden, Weekes Garden and D courtyard. This is their second annual pruning to prune long whips back to 10-12 buds. This helps the development of new blooms in the spring instead of growing longer whips.



Sijia prunes the Wisteria sinensis



The Eryngium planum (Flat Sea Holly) is in bloom with a bluish tinge.  Looks like it should grow under the sea if you ask me.



Eryngium planum blooms



Eryngium planum Form

Echinops nitro (Blue Globe Thistle) is in bloom and looks great in D courtyard.

Echinops nitro blooms

Echinops nitro form