Saugus Gardens in the Fall: Here’s what’s blooming in town this week to make your walks more enjoyable

By Laura Eisener

Through December and early January, many gardens in Saugus are lit up with lights in trees, on structures and illuminated figurines and statues in front yards. They give a charming atmosphere to the landscape, and it is worth viewing the same neighborhoods in daylight and nighttime. The long nights will be illuminated for several weeks after days have begun to grow longer. The trees in the center and Cliftondale were lit up last Friday, and the first candle on the menorah was lit last night.

While the calendar says it’s December, there are many trees and shrubs that still have some beautiful fall color. A cultivar of the native common ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Coppertina’), which has copper tones in its foliage during the summer months, has turned a burgundy color, and many of its leaves are still on the plant. While wild ninebarks usually have green leaves, the varieties most popular in nurseries have deep red leaves in the growing season; for example, ‘Diabolo’ (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo’) and the more compact ‘Little Devil’ (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Little Devil’). This species has small white flowers in June that attract bees, and small seeds later in the summer that provide some food for birds. Once the leaves have fallen in winter, the peeling bark provides a bit of seasonal interest until new leaves emerge in spring.

Last Friday afternoon when the preparations were in full swing for the tree lighting, there were penguins and reindeer on the lawn of Town Hall and the library, but around the corner next to the granite foundation of the old Central Fire Station it looked more like spring, since several dandelions were blooming in the stored warmth between the pavement and foundation. A few are still blooming this week, even with night temperatures going below freezing.

Some birds are able to stay through the winter if they have shelter and an ample supply of food. Depending on their preferences, birds may compensate for the lack of summer fruits and insects by eating crabapples, holly berries, weed and flower seeds and other foods that still may be found in our woods and gardens. Besides what is naturally available, seeds in bird feeders can help supply their nutritional needs. Hot pepper coated seed is not palatable to most squirrels and mice, but birds don’t mind so it is a good way to feed your feathered friends without attracting rodents. The birds come at intervals throughout the day to eat at a few feeders in my garden. Some prefer the higher hanging feeders while others feel more at home on the ground.

Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos) are one of the few birds who really enjoy holly berries, and you are likely to enjoy their songs all winter if there are some holly shrubs nearby, since the fruits remain edible until spring. A hedge of holly (Ilex meservae) in the Saugus Iron Works parking lot supplies berries through the winter.

Mockingbirds are known for mimicking songs of nearby birds and have a large repertoire. They and some other members of the Mimidae family can even copy other sounds in their environments; for example, car alarms, squeaking machinery and even sounds made by frogs and crickets. They also have some songs that have specific purposes, such as alerting other mockingbirds to threats. Males sing more than females, and when looking for mates they seem to sing longer and louder than they do once they have found one. Mockingbirds can be aggressive about defending their nests and often team up to chase off predators, such as hawks. The Mimidae family includes the gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), which got its name because it often sounds like it is meowing, though it can also sound more like quacking ducks when frightened.

  Editor’s Note: Laura Eisener is a landscape design consultant who helps homeowners with landscape design, plant selection and placement of trees and shrubs, as well as perennials. She is a member of the Saugus Garden Club and offered to write a series of articles about “what’s blooming in town” shortly after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was inspired after seeing so many people taking up walking.

See more photo highlights at: www.Facebook.com/advocate.news.ma