The Hawthorn

Kitchen Tour 2010: Wednesday, August 4 Save the Date! Mark your calendars, call your friends, and order your advance tickets for the 2010 Merryspring Kitchen Tour on Wednesday, August 4! This year’s Tour show-cases innovative kitchen design and innovative cuisine that you won’t want to miss. And because the Kitchen Tour is Merryspring’s major fundraiser of the year, your ticket purchase supports the park year round.

Once again, we are delighted that EBS Style Solutions, Camden and Rockland, is our generous Sponsor. The Tour goes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with eight kitchens open to welcome you and a total of 15 local chefs preparing delicacies for you to sample. Please see page 7 for a complete list of kitchens, chefs, tour supporters, and ticket outlets.

One of the eight kitchens on the Tour

Remembrances of Irene Wolf Irene Goldovsky Wolf, who passed away on May 8 at age 93, was an early benefactor of Merryspring Nature Center and a loyal supporter of the park for many years. The daughter of concert violinist Lea Luboschutz, Mrs. Wolf first came to Maine when her mother was teaching at the Curtis summer school in Rockport. Mrs. Wolf later established strong community ties in the area, helping to found Youth Arts and Bay Chamber Concerts, now directed by her son, Thomas Wolf. A patron of the arts, she also directed her energies to preserving the environment — hence her connection to Merryspring.

“Irene Wolf was an extraordinary woman whose dedication to Merryspring helped make it happen,” said former board president Aileen Lubin. “She was a skilled politician, fundraiser, and believer in the need for a change in attitudes towards the environment. This special woman will be missed by all those whose lives she touched.”

Other Merryspring friends chimed in with their remembrances of Irene Wolf.

“In the early ‘70s when Mary Ellen and Ervin Ross were developing the idea of Merryspring, they asked Irene to join them as part of the first board of trustees,” recalled Nancy Syme, another former board member. “She remained involved with the park for over 25 years. We are all so grate-ful to the whole Wolf family for their many civic contributions near and far.“

“From her world filled with music, Irene chose to reach out into the world of nature, and Merryspring Park was the beneficiary,” said Tom Hopps, another former board president. “As a member of the board and later first vice president of the board, she, with wisdom and grace, helped move us through challenging issues. Irene was a lady of warm and friendly elegance.”

“When I joined the Merryspring Board of Trustees, Irene was so welcoming and really was a mentor to me,” added former board president Sue Crane. “I was touched and appreciative. I looked to her dignity, civility, and calm when things occasionally became controversial. She showed me how to put the greater good of the park first.”

“A most remarkable woman, in so very many ways,” said John Evrard, former Merryspring executive director. “Irene's contributions to Mer-ryspring were immeasurable: her devotion and guidance as a board member; her generosity as supporter, volunteer, and friend; and her willing-ness to ‘stay with it’ and ‘get it right’. Hers was always the voice of reason, delivered with methodic wisdom and grace.”

“Irene Wolf was a very special lady — loving, gently offering guidance, and supportive of her friends and family's endeavors,” said former board member Jean Freedman-White. “To me she will always be Ma Wolf. I cherish the memories of having tea with her at her Rockport home and enjoying dinners with her family and visiting Bay Chamber Concerts musicians. I have vivid memories of her working in her garden on Mechanic Street in Rockport as she greeted neighbors and friends who dropped by to say hello. She will always have a very special place in my heart.”

All of us at Merryspring owe a special thanks to this dedicated, gentle woman, whose legacy has been enhanced by several memorial gifts given in her honor.

Irene Wolf

The Hawthorn

Summer 2010

The Hawthorn Summer 2010 Page 2

Inside this issue: Merryspring Nature Center P.O. Box 893, Camden, ME 04843 Tel: (207) 236-2239 Fax: (207) 230-0663 Email: info@merryspring.org www.merryspring.org

Mission Statement Merryspring’s mission is to practice, teach, and advocate sound principles of ecology, conservation, and horticulture in order to protect our natural environment and to provide natural landscapes and cultivated areas for public enjoyment.

Hours of Operation The park is open free of charge from dawn to dusk every day of the year. Our offices and library are open Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., or by appointment.

Membership Individual $35 Family $50 Business $50-100

Board of Trustees Ray Andresen, President Kathleen Kull, Vice President Frank Callanan, Secretary Richard Ailes, Treasurer Rebecca Clapp Susan Dorr Cynthia Dunham Joanne Fagerburg James Sady Susan Shaw Carol Woodbury -Witham

Staff Toni Goodridge, Administrative Mgr. Gail Sutton, Buildings & Grounds Mgr. Bill Sutton, Buildings & Grounds Assist.

AmeriCorps Environmental Educator Leo Maheu

©2010—All Rights Reserved

Merryspring’s spring

Landscape Management Plan Prepared for Merryspring By Ray Andresen

“The Merryspring property is a mosaic of landscape diversity. Forest land to fields to wetlands to contour change, the ingredients for healthy wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities are present. The health of the woodland is good and compatible with the soils upon which it grows.”

So begins a general description of the woodlands at Merryspring in a new 10-year Landscape Management Plan produced for the Nature Center by Didier Bonner-Ganter of Belfast.

He was commissioned in late 2009 to assess the current state of the woodlands, which make up the majority of Merryspring’s 66 acres, and to develop a long-range plan for future main-tenance and improvement of the property in support of Merryspring’s goals for recreation, conservation, and education. The plan is designed to

• Open and maintain access to the property for the enjoyment of visitors

• Ensure that park trails are safe

• Improve and enhance the appearance of park property

• Preserve delicate habitats

• Protect important plant and animal species

• Manage negative impacts from recreation and maintenance

• Enhance the educational value of the property by identifying and maintaining special features

• Create and maintain access to educational features within the property

• Locate sites for appropriate signs and educational materials

The plan pays special attention to the Kitty Todd Arboretum and the vernal pool as focal points within Merryspring. It contains several suggestions for enhancing the value of the Ar-boretum, which provides a natural setting to illustrate native trees, and also includes ideas for protecting the vernal pool as a special habitat.

“He’s clearly laid out a project schedule for the first few years, and this gives us an excellent base to work with," said Buildings & Grounds Manager Gail Sutton. "We can use his informa-tion as a base to set our priorities and form schedules for future work. There will be a variety of projects to pick from, for anyone who wants to help.”

Among the first items to be tackled this year will be work on the boundary lines and trails.

Visit Merryspring’s Facebook page, where you can check on upcoming programs and events. Go to http://www.tinyurl.com/merryspring-facebook/ We hope you’ll be-come a fan.

Sign up for our eUpdates at www.merryspring.org to receive the latest news on programs and events.

Kitchen Tour 1,7

Irene Wolf Tribute 1

Landscape Management Plan 2

Education Calendar 3-4

Meeting Space Available 4

Forts and Fairy Houses 5

Wish List 5

Calling All Volunteers 5

Garden Colors 6

Plant Sale Report 6

Evening Primrose 8

The Hawthorn Summer 2010 Page 3

Summer-Fall 2010 Education Calendar

FREE PUBLIC EVENTS

Daylily Day co-sponsored by Maine Daylily Society: Sunday, August 1, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. View the Maine Daylily

Society’s spectacular demonstration garden at its peak; learn about daylily breeding and propagation, daylily foods, and more.

All-Hallows Eve Enchanted Forest, co-sponsor Ashwood Waldorf School: Sunday, October 31, Sunset. A chance for wee sprites and goblins to be guided through a jack-o-lantern lit wood filled with fairytale vignettes and to enjoy twilight refreshments in the garden.

FREE FAMILY PROGRAMS

Children must be accompanied by an adult. In case of rain, please check for cancellation.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES – 2nd Sundays of the month

Nature Photography: July 11, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Photographing nature is a great way to practice observation skills, and it

makes a fun reminder of your trips and adventures. Take a nature walk at Merrysrping and learn some techniques for taking quality photos.

Geocaching Festival: August 8, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Whether you are new to Geocaching or an experienced trekker, this event is

sure to please. Visit Merryspring to participate in a mystery trek, to get advice about equipment, and to learn more about this fun family sport.

Fort Building & Fairy Houses: September 12, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Fall is a great time to spend some time in the woods. Come

and build your own secret fortress in the forest or construct a tiny home for forest dwellers. Merryspring will supply building tips and supplies; you supply the creativity.

NATURE EXPLORERS – 4th Sundays of the month

Bug Safari: July 25, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. There is a whole world of activity in the soil and air around us – a bug’s world! We will

make our own simple bug boxes and then travel through the gardens and forest to search for insects of all shapes and sizes.

Herbariums: August 22, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Creating an herbarium is a great way to learn to identify plants. Join Merryspring to

make your own plant press and learn how to preserve flowers and plants to use in a nature journal – or to start your own herbar-ium.

Tree Identification: September 26, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Trees provide us with food, warmth, shelter, shade … and so much more!

Come meet the trees in Merryspring’s forest and learn how to identify some of Maine’s common varieties.

WORKSHOPS & CLASSES

Designing Continuously Blooming Gardens with Lee Schneller: Friday, July 23, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; $30 Members/

$40 Non-members. Join a popular author and garden expert for a workshop on garden design. The required text, The Ever Bloom-ing Flower Garden by Lee Schneller, may be purchased through Merryspring upon registration for $19.95 (members receive 10% discount).

Mushrooming with Greg Marley: Sundays, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. July 25, Aug. 22, Sept. 12, Oct. 3; $150 Members/$175

Non-members. Acquire the skills to identify and collect common mushrooms of the Maine woods with a noted mycologist. A field guide is included with registration.

Fantasy Insects with Nancy Glassman: Saturday, July 10, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. This family workshop will combine an

unusual assortment of colorful paper, objects, and recycled materials to create 3-D fantasy insects for each family to take home. The workshop is $25 per family of three for Merryspring members, $35 for non-member families; and includes materials. Pre-registration is required.

(continued on next page)

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2010 SUMMER TALKS

Noon on Tuesdays; bring a bag lunch. Members & Children Free, Others $5

July 6 Tending the Perennial Garden II—Wendy Andresen

July 13 Mushrooms—Greg Marley

July 20 Growing Greens in Maine All Winter Long — Judy Berk

July 27 Invasive Insect Species—Rebecca Jacobs

August 3 Tending the Perennial Garden III—Wendy Andresen

August 10 Japanese Gardens—Lee Schneller

August 24 Speaker to be announced

August 31 Ferns and Mosses—Rick Sawyer

September 7 Tending the Perennial Garden IV—Wendy Andresen

Some dates may be subject to change, and additional workshops and field trips will be added. Be sure to check our website www.merryspring.org for the latest postings. If you’d like to be sent news of new programs and reminders of upcoming events, send your name

and email address to info@merryspring.org . We will never share or sell your email address.

Merryspring Available for Weddings, Receptions, Meetings If you or someone you know is looking for the perfect spot for an outdoor wedding or a private meeting space, why not consider Merryspring Nature Center.

Each year several weddings, receptions, and meetings take place at Merryspring. Conveniently located yet away from the noise and bustle of the towns of Camden and Rockport, Merryspring offers stunning gardens and an outdoor hexagon perfect for small ceremonies. A well-tended lawn bordered by flower beds filled with spectacular color from June through September will accommodate a tent for up to 200 guests.

Adjacent to the gardens, a small conference room in the Ross Center can accommodate up to 50 people for a private meeting or conference. Guests can relax on the deck overlooking the

gardens, and a small kitchen is available to keep refreshments warm or cool.

Rates are reasonable and there is plenty of availability with advance notice. For more information or to reserve space at Mer-ryspring, please call 236-2239, send an email to info@merryspring.org, or click the “weddings” tab on our website at www.merryspring.org.

Watercolor painting with Lesia Sochor starts again in the fall. The Rose Day talk with Glenn Jenks always draws a good crowd.

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Forts and Fairy Houses: Family Magic By Leo Maheu

Watch where you step on your next nature adventure, or you may find yourself on the front porch of a fort or a fairy house! You may discover these houses tucked into the trunk of an overgrown tree or precariously placed on a petal perch. They are constructed to blend in with the natural envi-ronment through careful planning, creative resources, and crafty arrangement while remaining unveiled to those who are seeking them. They are brought to life by the gentle touch of an imaginative mind and continue to thrive as long as there are those who believe in their existence.

The forts and fairy houses phenomenon, which seems to have its deepest roots off the coast of Maine, is sweeping the nation and immersing imaginative minds,

both young and old, into the natural environment around them. This activity is non-exclusive and can be enjoyed by any who are interested. It has become quite popular in many park settings and is even beginning to pop up on school playgrounds as a recess activity while still remaining accessible to the back-

yard builder. There are no guide-lines for what a fort or fairy house should or should not look like, as the finished product will vary from designer to designer. Some may create a simple struc-ture with a path leading to the retreat, while others will create multilevel mansions with sleep-ing lofts and separate rooms. Through this activity, partici-pants of all walks of life are able to let loose, wind down, and enjoy a bit of the natural world through their creative process. While you may interpret the project in any number of ways,

Calling All Volunteers

Are you interested in volunteering at Merryspring? We are always looking for more help in the gardens, on the trails, around the office, and with our special fundraising events.

You can check out the opportunities by visiting our volunteer page at info@merryspring.org and then let us know what you’re interested in by filling out the volunteer application form. Or stop by the office and inquire about our volunteer opportunities.

Office hours are 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Wish List 2 lightweight wheelbarrows, 3- to 4-cubic-foot size, for small jobs, like woodchips, mulch, etc.

Reciprocating saw – aka “Sawzall”

Battery charger for riding mower

High-back office chair for our AmeriCorps intern

Bow saws – trail & boundary work

Venetian blind slats to use for plant labels

Bypass loppers – trail & boundary work

Gift certificate to Marriner’s for 4 yards of crushed stone

Small air compressor – aka Pancake compressor

25’ Stanley Power Lock tape measure

Set of wrenches 1/4” through 7/8” sizes – 8- or 12-piece set

Plain 5-gallon gas can, no fancy safety devices please

Clean plastic peanut butter jars – 18 ounces or smaller

the main focus behind these houses is simply to use your imagi-nation, a bit of natural resources around you, and a touch of magic to fabricate homes for fantasy creatures.

Interested in beginning your own fort and fairy house village? There are a few simple rules that must be followed for these creations to be successful: Use only natural materials, and do not harm the environment in any way while constructing the houses. It is important to remember that when constructing these magical abodes, we must not disturb the natural environ-ment around us. When choosing materials for your next fort or fairy house, make sure to keep in mind that taking parts from a living plant may damage that resource and, in turn, affect the living things that depend on it for food or shelter. Remember, the fairy world will thank you for respecting the environment while creating your masterpieces.

Need help in your adventure but don't know where to turn? Join Leo Maheu, Environmental Educator at Merryspring, on Sunday, September 12, as he hosts a free fun-filled afternoon of fort and fairy house building on the grounds of the park.

The Hawthorn Summer 2010 Page 6

Daylilies are tough plants, almost carefree, and tolerate a wide range of growing conditions.

Fourth of July

By Wendy Andresen

Explosions of color in the night sky and in our gardens -- these are the thrills of the Fourth of July. The sensuality of summer sur-rounds us now. We are dazzled by the full color of flowers in our sunny gardens and are enveloped by the fragrance of roses.

What's 10 inches to 6 feet tall, blooms throughout the month of July and into September, and ranges in color from almost white to yellow, orange, pink, purple, and red? Daylilies! These tough plants are almost carefree and tolerate a wide range of growing conditions. They are reaching their peak right now. What a long way they’ve come since the common orange roadside variety!

Feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium or Tanacetum parthe-nium) is indispensable in the midsummer garden. Its small white daisies on well-branched upright stems referee the bouts between strong colors in the garden as well as in a vase. Feverfew self-sows lustily and thrives in shade or sun and damp or dry soil. As day fades to twilight and twilight to dusk, feverfew becomes radi-ant. The bright colors of daytime recede into the darkness, and whites and yellows then shine like moonglow.

It's not too late to start an entirely new garden. Perhaps by now you've tired of lawn mowing and would like to transform a grassy area into a flower garden. Get out a long length of garden hose or rope and outline an area. Look at it from all angles and from all the windows that overlook it. I like to see a natural freeform shape no more than 6 to 8 feet wide. You have fwo choices about ways to remove the grass: Cover it with overlapping mats of newspapers (most environmentally sound and quickest), or strip the sod (back-breaking). Top your new garden area with about a foot of screened loam, and mix in lots of fertilizer. A time-proven fertilizer mixture is one 36-pound bag of Milorganite plus 5 pounds of rock phosphate plus 5 pounds of greensand. Now you're ready to plant. Grass will not grow through the layers of newspaper, and your new plants will eventually send their roots down through and into the soil beneath. Garden centers still have

a wide selection of plants available. Ask for help in choosing those that would be right for your particular light conditions. Set your potted plants about in your garden after you've de-termined the correct spacing by reading their labels. Dig a hole for a plant, unpot it, and set it in at the same depth as it was in the pot. Before back-filling with soil, add water to the hole so that the soil around the roots of the plant is thor-oughly soaked. This is especially important in hot weather. For a few weeks, your plants will be no better off than they were at the nursery, where they were watered daily while in their pots. They will need almost daily deep watering while developing new roots.

At the end of your busy day, put a cold drink in one hand and your soft-spray wand attached to the hose in the other. Then stroll slowly around your garden and say, "A sip for me, a long drink for you." Let your eyes also drink long and deep of the colors and textures of your garden -- enjoy!

Annual Plant Sale Another Success

Over the years our annual Plant Sale in May has become a much-anticipated sign of spring for local gardeners, and this year was no exception. A bouquet of delightful weather, precious plants, and unbeatable prices drew another large, excited throng of Merryspring members and friends, who thoroughly enjoyed picking through a wide se-lection of hardy perennials, special dahlias, vegetable seedlings, herbs, shrubs, and other items.

A major fundraiser for Merryspring, the two-day Plant Sale would not be possible with-out the generous support of our volunteers and local businesses. Gail Sutton and Becky Sawyer-Fay did a masterful job co-chairing the event, and dozens of volunteers contrib-uted their time, plants, and expertise to make it a success. In addition, Plants Unlimited donated countless perennials and small shrubs, while Fernwood Gardens & Nursery

contributed a selection of hard-to-find shade plants.

If you missed the Plant Sale in May, you can still support Merryspring — and add something wonderful to your gardens — by visit-ing the greenhouse and checking out the perennials, herbs, vegetables, and other plants that we still have available and will try to keep in stock all summer long. You can also find a selection of Merryspring plants outside Cappy’s Bakery in downtown Camden.

The Hawthorn Summer 2010 Page 7

2010 Kitchen Tour: All you need to know (continued from page 1)

Tickets purchased in advance are $25 (non-refundable), and tickets purchased on the day of the Tour are $30. You may visit any individual kitchen for $10. Advance tickets will be available from Tuesday, July 20, through Tuesday, August 3, at the Merryspring office or any of these locations: Belfast: The Good Table; Lincolnville: Dot’s Market; Camden: Once a Tree, Party Fundamentals, Stonewall Kitchen; Rockport: The Market Basket; Rockland: Atlantic Baking Company; Waldoboro: The Well Tempered Kitchen.

You may order advance tickets by email at info@merryspring.org or by calling 236-2239. Tickets will be held at Merryspring for pick-up the day of the Tour. Tickets will be available on the day of the Tour ($30) at Merryspring and at all kitchens on the Tour.

This year’s gracious homeowners and generous chefs are:

Mary & Keith Collins, BrightBuilt Barn, with The Market Basket (a.m.) and Megunticook Market (p.m.). Door prizes at this stop. Win a dinner at Francine Bistro!

Marsha & Vic Steinglass, Duck Down, with Laura Cabot Catering (a.m.) and Trillium Caterers (p.m.).

Judy & Andy Burgess with Blue Sky Cantina (a.m.) and Courses Catering (p.m.)

Joshua Grodzins, Stone’s Throw, with Primo (a.m.) and Brevetto Kitchen & Wine Bar (p.m.)

Martha Coolidge & Sam Rowse, Castlerock, with Amalfi on the Water (a.m.) and Paolina’s Way (p.m.)

Susan Taylor with Prism Glass Gallery & Café (a.m.) and Farmers Fare (p.m.)

Elinor Klivans with Elinor Klivans (a.m. & p.m.) Elinor will be signing her new cookbook, Chocolate Cakes—50 Great Cakes for Every Occasion, at this stop.

Rhonda Ryznar & Richard Rovner with Cappy’s Chowder House (a.m.) and Thomaston Café (p.m.)

For more information about our featured chefs, go to the Merryspring website, www.merryspring.org, and click on Kitchen Tour. For more information about ordering tickets, see the website or call the park at 236-2239.

FRIENDS OF THE TOUR

Francine Bistro, Camden*

Lincolnville Family Dentistry

David E. Olivas, DDS

Optimum Performance*

Party Fundamentals

APPLIANCES

Agren Appliance & Television

Brown Appliance & Mattress

Kelsey’s Appliance Village

ARCHITECTS

Beckstrom Architecture & Planning*

Bernhard & Priestley Architecture*

John Gillespie, Architect

Christopher Glass, Architect

Peter T. Gross Architects, PA

Kaplan Thompson Architects

Dominic Paul Mercadante Architecture*

Scholz & Barclay Architecture

Silverio Architecture & Design

BUILDERS

Cold Mountain Builders, Inc.*

Harbor Builders Associates

Landmark Construction, Inc.

Maguire Construction, Inc.

Maine Coast Construction

Oliver Builders

Phi Home Design

Sukeforth Builders, Inc.

CABINETS

Bench Dogs, Inc.

Cornerstone Kitchens

Crestwood Kitchens

Dream Kitchen Studio by Mathews Brothers*

Village Cabinet & Remodeling Co.

Liza Wheeler & Nancy Killoran

Zoulamis Woodworking

DESIGN & DECORATING

Chatfield Design

Margo Moore Interiors

New View Interiors

ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL

A.M. Plumbing & Heating

Mishka Plumbing & Heating

ReVision Energy

Rockport Mechanical

FINISHES & MASONRY

A.E. Sampson & Son, Ltd.*

Bingham Lumber

Cayouette Flooring, Inc.

Don Dickel Floors

Distinctive Tile & Design

Freshwater Stone

Keystone Masonry

Dennis J. King Masonry, Inc.

The Maine Soapstone Company

Mid-Coast Masonry*

North Atlantic Painting Co.

Olson’s Classic Painting, Inc.

Viking Lumber, Inc.

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design*

G2+1, LLC

Ann Kearsley Design

Landscape Services

Landworks Design

Lee Schneller Fine Gardens, Inc.*

Seasons Downeast Design

Stonescape Masonry*

Treekeepers LLC/Johnson’s Arboriculture*

SPECIAL APPOINTMENTS

17-90 Lighting Showroom

Barnes Custom Window Treatments*

Day Matero Studio

Erickson’s Antique Stoves

Fixtures…Designer Plumbing Showroom

Gilberte Interiors, Inc.

The Good Table

Hearth & Patio @ Smith & May

Benjamin Leavitt Metalworker Northport Bath & Maine Shower Door

Once a Tree

Pen-Bay Glass

Rockport Steel

The Store

The Well Tempered Kitchen

Windsor Chairmakers*

*Thank you very much for your extra support.

Kitchen Tour Supporters

Generous contributions from Supporters of the Kitchen Tour, many of whom have their excellent services and products on display in the kitchens, are an invaluable source of support for Merryspring. Please help us thank our wonderful supporters with your patronage.

The evening primrose also provides food for humans, and it was one of the first American wild edibles to be intro-duced to Europe in the early 1600s. As used by Native Americans, the thick taproot of the first-year plant – gathered in fall or spring before the flower stalk develops – makes a radish-like cooked vegetable. Simmering in two changes of water helps mellow its peppery taste. One of its alternate common names, gumbo primrose, speaks to the root’s ability to thicken soups and stews in a manner similar to okra.

An evening primrose moth drinks nectar from an evening primrose blossom.

Evening Primrose By Meg Barclay

The evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) is a tall native biennial fond of well-drained sandy or gravely sites throughout our region and is often seen in waste spaces and along roadsides. Its broad, four-petaled flowers open at dusk, enticing night-pollinating moths with a luminous, pale yellow glow and lemony scent. Each bloom lasts only a single day, with pollinated blooms wilting by noon.

Among those attracted to the flowers’ siren song is the evening primrose moth (Schinia florida), whose straw-like proboscis is well designed for supping nectar from the interior of the long, narrow tube formed by the crux of the petals. The female evening prim-rose moth lays her eggs on the plant, and once hatched, the cat-erpillars feed on the flower buds. Goldfinches are partial to eve-ning primrose seeds, which yield the evening primrose oil used for medicinal purposes.

P.O. Box 893 Camden, ME 04843