It’s July on Cape Cod, and that means: hydrangea season. Each year visitors come from across the country (around the world, even) to get the chance to see the iconic displays of hydrangeas, paired with other summer perennials. The flowers come in every shade of blue, pink, purple, and white, with varying flower shapes and forms. They grace the yards of the tiniest cottages and the massivest mansions. They are ubiquitous here.

Each year my library participates in the annual Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival. Local gardeners allow us to host their gardens for tours by visitors, charging a small fee at each garden — all funds go directly to the hosting organization (us!). It’s a chance to see beautiful properties on a (hopefully) perfect Cape Cod summer day, and raise much-needed funds for our nonprofit library.

This year we were nervous that the event would be cancelled because of COVID-19. But since it was an outdoor event, the infection rate in Massachusetts has dropped, and there has been a mask requirement in Massachusetts since early May, we felt it was a perfect opportunity to safely offer the public an event that would lift spirits and spark joy. We hosted 5 local gardens, staffed by gracious volunteers, and the visitors came out in droves, shaking off their quarantine blues and smiling widely behind their masks. I mean, how could they not?:

There were a few reminders that there had been other things going on in the world besides hydrangeas:

It was a day for celebrating, moving forward together, and soaking in the beauty of our community.

“ If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”
~Marcus Tullius Cicero

Happy summer, everyone. xo –lucy