I Simply Remember These Favorite Things, and Then I Can Smile All Day
June is nature’s way of reminding you that you forgot to buy sunscreen.
A Plant: Perennial Hibiscus
Hibiscus SummerSpice Raspberry Glace
Hibiscus plants have been around for decades; the sight of a Hawaiian luau would not be complete without a beautiful girl sporting an equally beautiful hibiscus flower in her hair. However, the hibiscus I am referring to this month is equally beautiful but far more cold-tolerant, in fact cold-hardy to Chicago, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis. ( ~ USDA zone 5).
As the photos suggest, they are fabulous when they flower later in the summer, but there are several drawbacks. One, they are not easy to find locally because they are not in flower in the spring. Two, they are very slow to emerge from the soil in the spring so many people think they are dead (be patient). Lastly, especially in some of the older cultivars, Japanese beetles can beat them up.
Try some of the newer cvs, they are better in most every way, but regardless, stand back and get out of the way. No one said we can’t have a luau in Montreal.
Hibiscus Summerific Garden Globes, UGA Trial Garden
A Garden -The State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Winter Wonderland at the Botanical Garden
I have taken you around much of the world when I start talking about wonderful gardens. Last month, we went to France, and before that, Scotland, and Holland. Perhaps it is time to get a little closer to home, in fact, my home, and invite you to visit the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, located in quaint college town of Athens, GA. The 313-acre garden was established in 1968 as a nature preserve with walking trails. Over the years, it has expanded to include a top-flight visitor center highlighting local art and events, spectacular spring and summer gardens, a marvelous Children’s Garden, and year-round activities for all ages.
I have taken full advantage of the garden. While I was teaching plant identification courses at the University, the botanical garden was one of my teaching labs. There is always something going on at the garden. When you visit, you also get the bonus of visiting beautiful Athens (highlighted in Favorites, April, 2025), and perhaps saying hello to me.
A Book - The Radium Girls, the dark story of America’s shining women.
Author: Kate Moore
Nonfiction
When Pierre and Marie Curie discovered radium in 1898, it was quickly considered a wonder element and even a health tonic at the time. It was incorporated in everything from body lotions to tonic water, as the fresh face of beauty in the 1920s. One of its more interesting properties was its ability to glow in the dark, and it became very popular for watch dials and other timepieces, both at home and in the military.
The young ladies who secured the “glamorous” jobs of painting watch dials with luminous radium paint were considered lucky indeed. The job was easy, clean, and well paid. The method of applying the paint was called “lip-pointing”, where they moistened their brushes with their lips each time they applied the paint to the dials. As they did this, they ingested the radioactive element, which settled in their bones and caused severe gruesome health issues.
However, this is not just a book about ignorance and malice, but also about the women who stood up and fought the factories that ignored their claims and symptoms. This became one of the biggest scandals of the 20th century and helped fuel the fight for workers’ rights, a battle that has saved countless lives and continues to resonate today—a fabulous and memorable read.
A Show/Movie- Count of Monte Cristo
While I am highlighting this classic book as a streaming show this month, you have probably read it sometime before. After all, it was first published in book form in 1846 and became one of the most popular books in Europe for many years. It was translated into virtually all modern languages, and has never been out of print in most of them. There have been at least 29 movie versions, and many television series.
As a book, The Count may not be a popular recommendation for busy people. Most of your friends probably don’t want to read a 1200-page book, and even the abridged versions are lengthy. However, it is an easy watch, and our book club chose the series for this month’s discussion.
Enjoy. PBS Masterpiece
A Place -St Mary’s, Isle of Scilly, UK
Hugh Town
Hugh Town
We found ourselves in Cornwall some years ago and reveled in the vistas, the gardens, the people, and even the weather. We decided to make a quick visit to the Scilly Isles, an archipelago of five main islands and 140 uninhabited islets. We wanted to visit the largest and most populous, Saint Mary’s.
St Mary’s is about 28 miles from the Cornwall coast. The capital, Hugh Town (~1800 people), is easily accessible by ferry from Penzance. The island is beautiful with its rugged coastline and beaches, and the shops, restaurants, and hotels of the city are fun to explore. Be sure to do a little hiking along the coastal trails.
Another must-see is the semi-tropical paradise of Tresco Abbey, a 20-minute boat ride from St Mary’s. It is spectacular, and you will want to stay for days.
Tresco Abby Gardens
Tresco Abby Gardens