Fair Weather

It is always a gamble when deciding in June what to enter in the fair in July. One can only speculate which flowers will be at the height of perfection on floral and horticulture judging day.

Last year, due to a very early start to the growing season many of the usual contenders were long past their peak. This year, because it was still snowing in May, the same varieties were nowhere near their bloom date even in mid July.

Roses, not often seen in great numbers at the fair were a welcome sight as they came to maturity much later than their typical June showing.

Monarda and Echinacea however, were barely represented at the last two years' fairs as their narrow window of flowering opened too early in '12 and too late in '13 for competition.

See the tall, gleaming ivory tower of blossoms near the back? 

That is your NWSF sweepstakes winner in the perennial division in the "any other perennial" category. It was quite magnificent. It is no shame that NDL's little "Osprey" trandescantia  took just 2nd place and a red when the blue and purple ribbons went to the champion yucca in the same class.

And in the crops and soils division....some fine looking rhubarb that would, in many years, be old, rangy, and long gone to seed.