Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUnE 14, 2024 Saugus Gardens in the Spring Here’s what’s blooming in town this week to make your walks more enjoyable By Laura Eisener T oday, June 14, is Flag Day, commemorating the date in 1777 when the design of stars and stripes was officially adopted by the Second Continental Congress. In the many years since, the number of stars in the “constellation” has changed to reflect the number of states, but we still have 13 stripes. U.S. flags and other patriotic decorations are displayed in many gardens, and flagpole beds and planters often have a red, white and blue flower combination. Among the most vivid red of perennials are several varieties of pinks (Dianthus spp.). Pinks got their name from the pinked edges found on the petals of several species. The genus includes both annual and perennial plants, which can lead to confusion when choosing them for gardens or container plantings. Most perennial varieties will bloom only in early June, while the annual types keep blooming through the summer. Close relatives of carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus), for which Saugus’ Sims Carnation company was world famous. The variety ‘Fire Star’ is a perennial with intriguing bright red clove scented flowers and bluish green grasslike foliage. Like most pinks, it is not usually eaten by deer or rabbits. At the June 10 80th anniversary ceremony beside the DeFranzo Monument on Main Street, another variety of bright red pinks were at their peak of bloom. In the front garden of David and Jerri DeFilippis on Prospect Street, the American flag waves over a garden that has an impressive trueblue delphinium standing tall in one corner. David enjoys many kinds of gardening and spending time outdoors, which shows in his thriving Dianthus ‘Fire Star’ is one of the prettiest of several red varieties of pinks blooming now. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) garden. David is raising some vegetables as well as ornamental plants. Beautiful pots of pansies line the front steps. Delphiniums are named after the family of oceanic dolphins (Delphinidae), because each individual flower in the spiky cluster have a curved spur at the back that might remind you of a dolphin gracefully leaping out of the water. June is known for many flowers, especially roses, but they are not the only shrubs that bloom in June. Weigela (Weigela florida) has trumpet shaped flowers that bloom in June and sometimes sporadically later in the summer. Many varieties are grown for their colorful leaves as well. Variegated weigela like one growing in the garden at St. John’s near Saugus Center has pale pink flowers and sage green leaves with white edges. The dwarf form ‘My Monet’ has pink flowers and green leaves with white and pink edges that keep that color until fall, and a mature height under three feet tall. ‘Wine and Roses’ has brighter pink flowers and wine-red foliage, growing about five feet tall, while ‘Tiny Wine’ is a dwarf form with similar colors. There are plenty of flowers, Blue blooms of delphinium stand out in the garden of David DeFilippis in the Saugus Center neighborhood. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) Variegated weigela is a beautiful June blooming shrub that also offers foliage interest throughout the season. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) Bright pink strawberry blossoms herald the sweet fruits of early summer! (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) but only a few edible fruits ripen this early in the year, so strawberries have been eagerly anticipated for centuries. Strawberries (Fragaria spp.) represent the beginning of a season of abundance. Our June moon, which this year will be full next Friday night, June 21, is known as the strawberry moon.A few strawberries have ripened along the Saugus River near the blacksmith shop at the Saugus Iron Works. Tours have resumed for the season, and the site has work underway on the waterwheel that operates the trip hammer in the forge building. The new lawn has grown in where the summer concerts are held, replacing the gravel that had protected the soil from compaction for the past few seasons. If you look carefully, you can see the outline of the new lawn because clover has not yet grown there, and the grass is a slightly different type than the surroundThis Flag Day display with blue lobelia on some front steps attracts attention with an unusual blue flower color. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) ing older lawn. June is the month for strawberry festivals all over New England. Today, June 14, is actually National Strawberry Shortcake Day! Hope you enjoy a shortcake or two at Saugus’ Strawberry Festival tomorrow, and bring home a few new plants for your garden. The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775. 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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