Fun with Driftwood

I came upon this structure while on one of my walks in Fire Island: 

Can you see it? The various pieces of driftwood are fitted together to look like a giant deer!

Hemp, Chastity, Monks = Vitex

As I mentioned in my last post, I was recently on vacation in Fire Island, NY. I noticed nearly every other house had this shrub or small tree bursting with purple spike flowers. I overheard someone call it "Butterfly Bush" but I knew it was not Buddleia davidii as the flowers and leaves were different. I came to learn that this small deciduous tree was none other than Vitex agnus-castus. Some of its common names are Vitex, Hemp tree, Sage tree, Monk's Pepper, Chaste tree, Mexican lavender and Texas Lilac.

It gets the name Sage tree from the aromatic foliage which is typically gray-green to dark green above and lighter underneath. The leaves are palmately compound with 5-7 fingerlike leaflets and so it is often called Hemp Tree because the leaves bear strong resemblance to the leaves of the marijuana or hemp (Cannabis spp.) plant. 

The flowers bloom all summer long and are followed by fleshy fruit that contains four seeds that are sometimes used as seasoning, similar to black pepper, hence the common name Monk's Pepper. But what does a monk have to do with pepper seasoning, you ask? Well, that name refers to the medieval belief that utilizing potions made from the berries helped monks maintain their vows of chastity. And so, since it was believed to quell the male libido, it got the name Chaste Tree.

It is drought and salt resistant and easy to grow in well drained soil. Makes sense why everyone had it on their property near the beach!

Vinca Cocktail?

While it is true that the annual Vinca will tolerate most conditions and still look great, this may be a bit much!

I was vacationing in Fire Island a few weeks ago and on an early morning walk I came upon this lovely flower nestled in a cocktail glass. The way the glass was buried deep into the sandy soil made the arrangement seem somewhat deliberate, however, there isn't enough soil in the glass to make me think this was a real container planting. Regardless, I still thought it was fun to see!

The annual Vinca or Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), could be found in many of the gardens on Fire Island. It can be identified by the dark, glossy green leaves and the five petaled flat flowers, usually with a darker "eye." It is heat and drought tolerant and also interesting to note, it is poisonous if ingested or smoked.

There is also some interesting history on this plant. According to the Encyclopedia of Life website, Catharanthus roseus is native to Madagascar and for many years was used as a folk treatment for diabetes. In the 1950's, researchers discovered that the plant contained a group of alkaloids that, although toxic, had potential uses in cancer treatment. Two of these alkaloids, vincristine and vinblastine, can be used in purified form to treat common types of leukemia and lymphoma. The discovery of vincristine is credited with raising the survival rate of childhood leukemia from under 10% to over 90%.  Thousands of children's lives have therefore been saved by an extract of this humble garden plant.

Pretty amazing stuff from such a small, unassuming plant!

Colorful & Whimsical on Fire Island

The minute you step off the ferry boat onto Fire Island you truly feel like you are in a different world. The sidewalks are filled with people walking in flip flops, kids riding in wagons or couples riding bikes with baskets full of groceries.

On a recent weekend in Ocean Beach, I came across these two beauties:

I love how the owner nestled the fish among varying shades of blue stones to make it look like the little fishing statue-boy is really sitting along a shimmering pond.  The larger stones intermixed with the contrasting green foliage is really beautiful.

These mushrooms are actually solar lights but look so pretty settled among the yellow and pink Snapdragons in this front garden. The "Imagine" stone in the back adds to the personality of the garden. 

Deer walk the paths on Fire Island as frequently as the people do, so it is not uncommon to see some beautiful gardens kept safe behind tall fences to keep the nibbling creatures out. To have a garden outside a fence, you certainly have to use deer resistant plants or just be really creative with something unique!