THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JAnUAry 12, 2024 Page 15 Saugus Gardens in the Winter Here’s what’s blooming in town this week to make your walks more enjoyable These turkeys are foraging for beechnuts at the Iron Works. (Photo courtesy of Nancy Prag) By Laura Eisener T en turkeys (meleagris gallopavo) joined Nancy Prag on her walk at the Saugus Iron Works a few days before the big storm. They parade through various neighborhoods grazing on seeds and plants. Because of their size, the large flocks tend to trample gardens, though at this time of year few people complain. Corn is their favorite food, but they do eat a wide range of plant species. In eastern U.S., turkeys became scarce and were reintroduced to New England and the central United States. In some urban and suburban areas, turkeys are known to be aggressive to people, chasing and sometimes biting mailmen. One of my clients in central Massachusetts told me he kept a large wild flock to intimidate coyotes, which would otherwise attack his ducks and chickens – they were perfectly friendly to me and followed me around his large meadow and farm. The sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is one of New England’s most well-known and well-loved trees. It is a beautiful shade tree with spectacular fall color, a rounded crown and, of course, they can produce sweet sap that can be boiled into syrup in early spring. In the days before streets were paved and de-icing salts were a safety necessity, they were among the most popular street trees in northern New England, especially in rural areas. Several mature specimens are growing on the upper lawn of the Saugus Iron Works, and one at Breakheart near the Kasabuski Rink. The European beech on the upper lawn near the curve in Central Street has small, pointed seeds that are seen when the spiny husks unfold like petals of a flower once they are ripe. They ripen in late fall and may remain on the ground through much of the winter. “Beech nut” became the brand name of a popular baby food and a chewing gum. Saugus finally saw its first snow over the weekend, and it was just about the right amount – enough to blanket the ground, but not enough to require shoveling to get out the driveway – and the roads were kept quite clear throughout the storm. The snow provides much-needed insulation to keep soil temperatures from fluctuating rapidly. You can tell without opening your eyes that it has snowed because of the hush. The snow muffles all the normal noises like traffic, and there is likely to be a bit less of it early in the day. You can tell by the track what animals have been running across your yard. The rainstorm leaves nothing to shovel, but there may be flooding, and it is much noisier than the peaceful snow. Wind of course comes with its own ominous noises in the night. If icicles form, they sparkle. So we have had a bit of all the winter weather this week. Colorful flowers indoors can A sparrow goes back to its cozy house after the snowstorm. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) brighten the mood on these cold and gray days – in the picture above, orange Peruvian lilies (alstroemeria spp.) and pink peonies (Paeonia lactiflora), grown either in a greenhouse or perhaps flown here from South America, share a vase with evergreens, including pines (Pinus spp.), arborvitae (Thuja spp.) and fir (Abies spp.). These can be purchased from the florist, but it is also possible to forage in your garden for the greens if you prune carefully. Turkeys stroll along past the rough barked sugar maple at the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site. (Photo courtesy of Nancy Prag) Icicles hang down from a roof. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) Indoor bouquets may have to give us a shot of color for the next few months, since very few outdoor plants will be blooming until spring. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) Editor’s Note: Laura Eisener is a landscape design consultant who helps homeowners with landscape design, plant selection and placement of trees and shrubs, as well as perennials. She is a member of the Saugus Garden Club and offered to write a series of articles about “what’s blooming in town” shortly after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was inspired after seeing so many people taking up walking.
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