Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, MAy 31, 2024 Saugus Gardens in the Spring Here’s what’s blooming in town this week to make your walks more enjoyable By Laura Eisener I t seems impossible, it’s the first day of June already! While visiting Helen Fahey this week, we got to enjoy the car parade of the 2024 graduates as they went down Central Street. Today is unofficially the first day of summer. I wonder how many graduates’ memories of this day will include the plants blooming in their home garden, the tree they stood under for their graduation photo, the flowers in their bouquet or other details of this big milestone in their lives. Mine include the light purple irises blooming in my mother’s garden, where I stood in my cap and gown while she took my picture before heading off to Stocker Field, where the graduations were then held. Two kinds of irises, the official flower of the Saugus Garden Club, are also in bloom right now. Bearded irises (Iris germanica and hybrids), socalled because of the fuzzy nectar “guide” on the flowers, come in a wide array of colors and may be one solid color or include several colors. The bright white one, “Immortality,” which has five blossoms on it today, may rebloom in late fall. Siberian irises (Iris sibirica) are primarily shades of purple and white, although a pale yellow can also be found, and they have no fuzzy “beards.” The pungent bulbs we might all have in our refrigerator drawer are close relatives to some beautiful flowers that This light purple globe allium is a perfect complement to the catmint in Helen Fahey’s garden. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) are as useful in bouquets as they are in the perennial border. While we often think of onions, garlic, leeks and chives as having a less than delightful smell (unless we are anticipating dinner), there are many ornamental varieties with pleasantly scented blossoms that can play a dramatic role in our gardens. Helen Fahey, a garden club member who lives near Saugus Center, invited me to see the varied blossoms of a collection of alliums, also called ornamental onions, she has blooming in her garden now. Onions are true bulbs, similar to tulips, and these species can add a surprising element to most garden borders with their tall stemmed, often spherical, flower clusters. Black garlic, also called “Black Garlic” is one of several ornamental alliums blooming in Helen Fahey’s garden in the Saugus Center neighborhood. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) broad-leaved leek (Allium nigrum) is an heirloom variety cultivated since at least 1752. It has less of an “oniony” scent to the leaves and stems than most alliums, which has earned it a popular place in bouquets and flower crowns. Like several other ornamental varieties, the flowers actually have a pleasant fragrance. In this species, the flowers are usually white or pale pink, and the clusters are not perfectly spherical. The ovaries at the center of each blossom are noticeably green when in full bloom. “Star of Persia” (Allium christophii) is an intriguing species from the Near East with light purple star-shaped flowers that have a metallic sheen, and a somewhat flattened flower cluster. Quite a few of the ornamental onions have perfectly round clusters of flowers, and, therefore, are known as globe alliums. The largest of these is a hybrid variety, “Globemaster,” with flower clusters up to 10” across. The tallest is an Asian variety, giant allium (Allium giganteum), which may have a stem 6’ tall and a 4-6” flower cluster. Since alliums, like other Peonies and bearded irises are garden favorites blooming all over town this week. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) spring to early summer bulbs, have foliage that becomes dormant a month or so after blooming, they may be most effective grown among other perennials whose foliage helps disguise or distract from the yellowing leaves later on. In Helen’s garden, some of these alliums find a perfect companion in catmint (Nepeta faasenii), which has a small light purple flower on a narrow stem and grayish green leaves at ground level. Cat“Star of Persia” allium has an intriguing metallic shine to the starry flowers. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) Among the “flowers” around town are the 2024 graduates – here are some of the graduation garden decorations on Tonya Chadwick’s lawn near the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) mint is also one of the hardy, rabbit-resistant perennials that blooms the longest over the growing season. Since most neighborhoods in Saugus have a large rabbit population, it is worth noting that rabbits, deer, woodchucks and other herbivores usually don’t care for onion family members. Members of this family are toxic to dogs, cats and horses, so they should be kept out of reach of pets. 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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