The summer garden is in full swing at St. Joan of Arc. After a cold, wet start, the flowers, herbs and vegetables are beginning to blossom and bear fruit. The zinnias have their first flowers and the herbs are flourishing. There are collard greens that are ready to eat, (although I suspect that few people would know how to prepare them). The garden is tended by a dedicated group of volunteers who don’t mind getting their hands dirty. Wednesday night’s watering crew included three generations of gardeners, with Sue Fecarotta, her daughter and granddaughters. The youngest gardeners were definitely having the most fun, and did not hesitate to dig right in no matter how muddy they got.

Several of us also made our annual summer pilgrimage to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum that evening. It is the Upper Midwest's largest public garden encompassing 1,000 acres. The Arboretum is an inspiring experience for anyone with an interest in horticulture. The bunny in this photo lives amongst a smorgasbord of fine greenery, but with 5,000 plants to choose from, he settled in on the “Woods Pink Aster” (perhaps a hint of what not to plant in your yard).

Currently, there is also an exhibit to celebrate trees and how they benefit our lives. The exhibit features 12 one-of-a-kind treehouses. Most are very whimsical, artistic expressions of the importance of trees. For example, the "Tree Man"(below), constructed of willow saplings, is the guardian of a burr oak, wrapping his arms around the tree trunk. You can find out more about the Arboretum at: http://www.arboretum.umn.edu.