Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 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 tree canopy is still mostly a summery green except for a few red tinged branches reaching over Walnut Street from the red maples (Acer rubrum), whose leaves are changing to their autumn tones. Garden harvests continue to be abundant. Over 30 pounds of tomatoes and some cucumbers were brought to the food pantry from the community garden of St. John’s Church last Friday, September 10, and they continue to be harvested for this week. At the Congregational Church, the annual delivery of pumpkins is expected to arrive next Saturday, September 25. On September 22 at 1 p.m., the Saugus Garden Club will hold its first in-person meeting at the new Saugus TV studio at 30 Main St. I will be speaking about fantastic perennials to add to your garden. Many of our summer favorites continue to bloom in this beautiful fall weather; there are some fall flowers that always show up late to the party, opening in September. One old favorite has the perfect name – ‘Autumn Joy’ stonecrop (Hylotelephium telephium ‘Autumn Joy,’ also often called Sedum spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’). The leaves of this plant are among the first to emerge from the ground in spring, but the flowers don’t bloom until summer’s end. By early August the flower stalks are evident, but still green, looking quite a bit like broccoli for a while before the pink tones begin to develop. The flowers open a soft pink, gradually becoming bronze and then brown as they dry, and they can remain that way through the winter as a sturdy dried flower. In October, the leaves turn a bright yellow before falling. They are among the most adaptable of plants, thriving in full sun or in partial shade. Like other succulents, they are very drought tolerant because they store moisture in their foliage. Somewhat surprisingly, they also got through this summer’s very rainy July with no leaf spot or other fungus problems. One place they can be seen is lining the new walkway to the front door of the Saugus Historical Society building at 30 Main St. New varieties like ‘Autumn Fire’ and ‘Abbeydore’ are similar but deeper pink, and a white flowering form, ‘Stardust,’ is also a fine fall plant although more difficult to find available. There are even some varieties with purple toned leaves and stems, such as ‘Matrona’ and ‘Purple Emperor.’ The genus Sedum was split up years ago, and these plants renamed Hylotelephium; they will usually be found in nurseries under the old name Sedum. Among the most beautiful of fall bloomers is Japanese Anemone (now Eriocapitella hybrida, formerly known as Anemone hybrida). The most popular varieties are the white flowering ‘Honorine Jobert’ and pale pinkish purple ‘September Charm.’ New varieties like ‘Curtain Call Pink’ have a double row of petals. They are long blooming and rabbit resistant and attract pollinators, especially bees. One day this OBITUARIES Ronald Catalano RARE IN RESIDENTIAL GARDENS: Sevenson flower (Heptacodium miconioides) has attractive bark and plentiful small white flowers in September. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) AT THE COMMUNITY GARDEN: Yellow pear tomatoes are ripe for the picking. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) A BEAUTIFUL FALL BLOOMER: ‘Curtain Call Pink’ Japanese anemone is a new multipetalled variety of an old favorite. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) week I watched three bumblebees trying to fit into a single emerging blossom of ‘September Charm,’ perhaps because the pollen from the already open blossoms had previously been collected. This plant prefers partial shade. One of the more unusual shrubs or small trees blooming right now is seven-son flower (Heptacodium miconioides). It was discovered by the Arnold Arboretum’s most famous plant explorer, Ernest H. Wilson, in 1907. However, it was not introduced into the nursery trade until the 1980’s! This plant remains somewhat rare in residential gardens because many people only think of visiting nurseries in the spring, when this plant would not stand out among all the spring bloomers. It got its unusual common name because the small white flowers appear in groups of six surrounding one central flower. By October the petals have dropped and the sepals have changed to bright pink. If the fall display wasn’t intriguing enough, the bark is very striking throughout the year. It is beige to nearly white, peeling off in long narrow strips unlike the flatter papery sheets of paperbark birch (Betula papyrifera). Maturing at 15-25 feet tall, it is right near the size boundary line between shrubs and trees. POLLINATING PARTNERS: Three bumblebees compete for a place in a blossom of ‘September Charm’ anemone. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) ONE OF THE MOST ADAPTABLE PLANTS: ‘Autumn Joy’ stonecrop is a reliable fall bloomer in many Saugus gardens – seen here at the Saugus Historical Society. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by 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. Catalano, Ronald J., a devoted Catholic of Saugus, formerly of Everett, passed away peacefully on September 10, 2021. Beloved husband of the late Carole Catalano (Thompson) of Saugus. Loving father of Ronnie Catalano Jr. and his wife Camille of Wakefield, Sherri D’Amore and her husband Angelo of Everett, Diane Ricci and her husband John of Wakefield, Michael Catalano of Peabody, Lynanne Scaduto of Saugus and Rhonda McDermott of Saugus. Brother of the late Anthony and his wife Ann, Michael and his wife Sis, Ralph and his wife Mary and Linda. Ronald is survived by Patrick and his wife Ellie, Ann and her husband Joe, Gloria and her husband Ronny, brother-in-law of the late Barbara (Betty), Ann, Lorriane and Joyce. Loving uncle to many caring nieces and nephews. He will be missed dearly by his loving grandchildren Stephanie and her husband Dave, Phillip and his wife Lena, Angelo, Christian, Brianna and her husband Chris, Taylor, Andrew and his wife Lauren, Alex, Angelica, Andrew and his wife Kimberly, Kelli, Vincent and his loving great-grandchildren Gio, Ellie, Kingston, Cassius, Genevieve & Charlotte. Funeral from Salvatore Rocco & Sons Funeral Home, 331 Main St., Everett on Thursday, September 16 at 8:30. A Funeral Mass was held in Blessed Sacrament Church in Saugus at 10:00 a.m. – social distancing and masks required. Visiting hours were at the funeral home on Wednesday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Complimentary valet parking Wednesday at Main Street entrance. Interment in Holy Cross Cemetery in Malden. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. For more information please visit www.roccofuneralhomes.com
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