Gardening Through the Dog Days of Summer

 This month, we’ll take a closer look at a few fascinating members of the Dogbane family (Apocynaceae) growing right here on site.

August’s landscape is a different sort of appealing. The bright blooms of spring have given way to green foliage, the plants feeding off of sunlight and air to make sugars necessary for growth and maintenance. The cicadas emerge in late July to fill the air with their harsh song, the lilies sway in the breeze, their flowers fading as knobby fruit capsules take their place.

The dog days of summer refer to the hottest, most humid months of the year, historically from early July to mid-August. They are often associated with humid days, lethargy, sudden thunderstorms, and even bad luck. The plants, however, tell a different story of the dog days of summer. They tell of bursts of Black-Eyed Susans, nodding daylilies, and great tufts of Hydrangea.

The dog days are a period of maintenance, of preparation. Nature dials back the spectacle and focuses on health, construction, and reproduction. The chestnuts fill with their brutal, spiked burrs, and the squirrels eagerly await the black walnut trees dropping their spoils.

At Historic London Town and Gardens, we pride ourselves on being stewards of the landscape not just through the cool, flowery spring months, but also through the intense heat and humidity of the dog days of summer. With focused intent and a dedicated crew, the staff and volunteers at London Town are committed to their roles as caretakers of this unique space. Designed as a true four-season garden, London Town provides respite any time of year, dog days or otherwise.

London Town volunteers hard at work this summer, helping to maintain the Winter Walk.