My thumbs are brown these days, it seems; I’m in a rut, dithering, rather than taking the bull by the horns and doing what needs to be done. Much of it is having to constantly face further evidence of the damage in the gardens from the winter-spring weather every time I go out to the garden, suddenly finding planters with beloved Blood Lilies – they used to be named Haemanthus multiflorus, but now are Scadoxus multiflorus - still not arising from “’dormant” bulbs. Or one of the rare and special dogwoods, Cornus kousa “Rosy Teacups,” failing to send out leaves or flowers – or anything!

It was time for a final clean up in the garden. For the past two months I have been doing snippets here and there like trimming a stray branch or perennials I was pretty sure would return after our endless winter of 2018.

This year’s Garden-A-Day event, celebrating National Gardening week, is June 4 to June 8, and features two gardens each day on The Point, Habersham, Cottage Farm, Pigeon Point and Lady’s Island. The Beaufort Garden Club invites the public to visit all ten gardens, free of charge, from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm, rain or shine. As a special tribute to wildlife, the theme of this year’s tour is “Bee Friendly and Help Our Pollinators.” The Garden-A-Day schedule can be found on beaufortgardenclub.com and is as follows: