THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, AUGUST 14, 2026 Page 9 Saugus Gardens in the Summer Here’s what’s blooming in town this week to make your walks more enjoyable By Laura Eisener T he sounds of late summer are certainly here. As dusk comes a bit earlier, I often hear the chirping of crickets as I step out the door in the evening. The sounds we are hearing are mostly from the forelegs of field crickets (Gryllus pennsylvanicus) as they rub them together to attract female crickets. They are most likely to be found along the edges of grassy areas, where they can hide from predators but where they will be near their favorite foods: seeds from grasses and weeds and small invertebrate creatures. We can expect to hear them as long as the evenings remain warm. Some new shrubs were added this year to Vitale Park in East Saugus. Two evergreen Japanese holly (Ilex crenata) are now growing at the entrance path, and there are some variegated red twig dogwoods (Cornus alba ‘Ivory Halo’) at the edges of the lawn. It is a challenging location because of wind and occasional salt spray so close to the bank of the Saugus River, but these will add year-round interest to the site. Increased interest in growing plants beloved by pollinators, and more demand for colorful, pretty native plants have brought changes to the offerings in most nurseries in recent years. Among the genera that have become more widely available and more varied as breeders have produced a wider variety of colors are the hummingbird mints, also sometimes called anise hyssop (Agastache spp.). Hummingbird mints are versatile additions to almost any garden. They are members of the mint family (Lamiaceae). Because of the slightly licorice-like scent of their foliage, they are not usually eaten by rabbits, deer, groundhogs or other wildlife. On the other hand, they are very popular with butterflies, bees, hummingbirds and other pollinators. Also known as anise hyssop, there are about 20 species, several of them hardy in our area. All but one are North American natives. The one exception is Korean wild mint, sometimes called wrinkled hyssop (Agastache rugosa), which is found in a large range in Asia from Taiwan to eastern Russia. Within the genus are many flower colors: red, pink, white, orange, yellow, purple. The scientific name of the genus loosely translates to “like a stalk of grain,” probably because they are arranged in upright spikes. The fine texture of the individual flowers makes them a good contrast to large flowers and in particular to the daisy shapes of the tickseeds Agastache ‘Meant to Bee® Queen Nectarine’ has a light purple calyx and peach colored tubular flowers that attract pollinators. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) that were in this column last week, and like them thrive in sunny locations. Yellow giant hyssop (Agastache nepetoides) grows in Eastern and central U.S. and Canada, including Massachusetts, although it is not common in New England states. It can grow up to seven feet tall and is quite adaptable to sunny and partly shady locations. It is hardy at least to zone 4 and some studies suggest it could survive in areas as cold as zone 2. The hardiest species is lavender giant hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), which reputedly can survive in zone 1 (colder than the top of Mt. Washington)! This is another species with a widespread range in the U.S. and Canada, although it primarily grows wild in the western part of the continent. Flowers are purple, and it can grow up to about 6’ tall, although some varieties are usually shorter. The light purple ‘Blue Fortune’ variety is one of the bestknown varieties of this species — available in most nurseries. One variety with two different colors within the same blossom is Agastache ‘Meant to Bee® Queen Nectarine,’ which has a light purple calyx (sepals) and light peach colored tubular petals, so that both colors are present simultaneously as it blooms. Another variety with an interesting color combination is ‘Kudos Ambrosia,’ which has petals that start out pinkish and change to yellowish as they age, so a spike of flowers may have several blossom colors at once. Many of these varieties can be expected to continue blooming well into September, and the varieties named as well as several others are hardy perennials that return reliably year after year in our climate. Investigators Seeking Early Photos, Video of Wakefield Fire Public’s Assistance Could Help identify Area of Origin W AKEFIELD—Wakefield Fire Chief Thomas Purcell and State Fire Marshal Jon Davine are asking for the public’s help as they investigate last week’s six-alarm fire on Foundry Street. Specifically, Wakefield and State Police fire investigators are interested in photos and video shot during the fire’s earliest stages. Based on their efforts so far, they believe the fire began inside the building, but the catastrophic damage has posed major challenges in identifying exactly where. “We know this fire brought a large number of people to the area as it grew in size,” said Chief Purcell. “What we’re looking for now are photo, video, and observations from people who were present when the fire was first noticed.” Anyone with photo, video, or other information regarding the fire’s early stages is asked to contact Deputy Chief John Walsh of the Wakefield Fire Department at 978-382-5552 or the State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit at 978567-3310. “We are not investigating this as a suspicious fire at this time,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “Our main interest right now is identifying the area of origin, which will help determine the exact cause.” The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 102 Foundry Street just after 3:00 pm on August 7. They found heavy FIRE | SEE PAGE 12
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