AboutOrchids

We recently enjoyed a visit to Mercer, Pennsylvania, where Dave’s parents live. Dave’s Mom (and my Mother-in-Law) Brenda has a beautiful garden, so we’re sending a virtual Mother’s Day card with some pictures we took during our trip. Happy Mother’s Day, Brenda!

Mercer is in an area of western Pennsylvania that has a typical climate for the Northeastern USA. Short, warm summers are followed by cold, snowy winters, with an average January temperature of 17 F (-8 C.) Of course, it’s a tougher climate for orchids than the mild weather of the California coast. Nonetheless, you can see a large variety of beautiful plants and flowers that make the most of the short growing season.

Besides being a talented gardener in her own right, Brenda is a member of Master Gardeners. Master Gardeners programs in the USA and Canada were created to offer reliable home gardening information. Through extensive training, Master Gardeners are certified to provide gardening help to their communities. They volunteer to give educational lectures, demonstrations, help with community gardening projects, and offer phone support services. Pennsylvania’s program is run by Penn State, which is also Dave’s alma mater.

The final picture shows Corky, an Australian Shepherd who is Brenda’s constant garden companion. She is 15 years old, and was rescued from the middle of the road in the middle of the winter when she was a puppy. If Brenda is working in the garden, whether planting, weeding, pruning, or watering, Corky is there to help (or get in the way.)

Explore posts in the same categories: General Gardening, Misc, Photos

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 10th, 2009 at 7:37 am and is filed under General Gardening, Misc, Photos.

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