The Drying and Cutting Beds consist of annuals and perennials. Each year, the gardeners harvest flowers from these beds in order to make dried flower arrangements for Beaver Brook’s annual Fall Festival, held each September. The row of Lavender is treated to a sprinkling of crushed oyster shells to make the soil "sweet" (slightly alkaline). Globe Thistle, Astilbe, Yarrow, Sea Lavender (Statice), and Sea Holly (Eryngium) are hardy perennials; Teasel is a self-sowing biennial. Chinese Lanterns, related to tomatoes, may become invasive. Artemesia inhibits the growth of neary plants. Short, glossy Germander is useful mainly as edging. Autumn Crocus (Colchicum) has dense foilage in spring, goes dormant in summer, blooms in fall. Also, many annuals are grown that dry well after picking.
Daffodils and Tulips blooming in The Drying & Cutting Beds - April, 2010
The Drying & Cutting Beds - May, 2010
Poppies, Siberian Iris, Peonies blooming in The Drying & Cutting Beds - June, 2010
The Drying & Cutting Beds - June, 2010
The Drying & Cutting Beds - July, 2010