Well Melissa, I don’t feel I can “like” that. What a pest! I’m sorry you have them, and I hope you can save some of your box. I’m sure it’s a daunting job to get them under control, now. I’m unfamiliar with box moths. Am I correct in assuming they only feed on box? If no one else in town has any surviving box,(now or in the near future) and you’re able to eradicate the ones on your property, will they simply die out? I know you have a large property. Is there a possibility of using a systematic product, only on the box? I’m not a fan of that sort of thing, but if they don’t flower, perhaps it wouldn’t be as harmful to the “good guys”? I’m just thinking aloud here, and don’t know if it’s an option, let alone a good one.

I know what a pain it is to spray many plants, on a slope in particular. I’m being overrun with small worms(caterpillars). I normally spray with BT, since it’s a fairly harmless bacteria that only affects caterpillars, and nothing else. I neglected to do so this summer, at all. I wish I had, because now I have the worst infestation I’ve ever had. I don’t know if it’s even worth it to spray this late in the game. Plus, doesn’t BT have a rather short shelf life, even if stored properly? Last summers leftover half bottle probably isn’t even good anymore.

I feel your pain. I’m upset about all my ruined blooms, but at least my little caterpillars just cause cosmetic damage. I can see why you’re upset. I hope there’s a solution. Lisa

Melissa, I am so sorry you're having such a problem. It seems to be a constant battle to maintain a garden, even more so one that is so very large like yours. Your husband is a force of nature, so incredibly tough and able to still do so much. I wish you good luck in dealing with this very unwelcome development. If it's not one thing it's another is a saying that is so very appropriate for gardening, and now more than ever when plants are struggling with climate change.

What are you folks thinking of planting out this fall, Melissa?

Bart, it seems almost too good to be true, but I want to finish the hedging of this area, which is mostly small-leaved (common) privet and common Symphoricarpos: two tough, green, unshowy shrubs that are fine as background. Also a few hazelnuts, mock orange, kerria, and possibly a bit more I don't recall. Then trees, mostly flowering ash, planted along the boundaries, because the area needs shade; and a few plants for ornament, mainly a few roses and a couple of peonies. The garden has some splendid roses already, so not a lot of addition is needed there. It's basic planting. The ground is still turning into soil capable of supporting growth and is stiff with running grass and weeds, so it will be a good while before I can think of small plants, if indeed I ever get to that point.

Do you have any gardening plans for this fall, or is everything on hold?

Right now it is so, so hard for me to plan for the future; I'm still so much "on the high seas" with the health issues. Also I'm so badly reduced physically at this point that the idea of even going out to my land is very daunting. Yet it is not good for the psyche to just stay at home and leave my beloved project in a state of semi-abbandonment either. What's more, I have about 14 potted plants that really, really should be planted out this fall; most are in pots of 27/30 cms diameter, and that is about as big as I can go ,so I don't think they can go for another year. Worse yet, almost all of these are destined to replace roses that don't really please me, so that is going to mean digging up lots of native soil from elsewhere and lugging it in, not to mention removal of the old plants. So I must prepare myself with great care,maintaining an attitude of great humility and caution, and just do a very little bit ,slowly, slowly, slowly, exercising the utmost self-control, so as not to injure myself-the very idea is daunting as well ! Unfortunately now here in Tuscany it has become horrible hot again, too, so for now I haven't yet decided on a day to go back (it's been more than a month since I was out there! I hope everything is OK! I know it will be a total mess of weeds...)

I'm so very sorry to hear about your moth infestation, Melissa. Not to be a killjoy, but long term it seems likely you will lose your box plants no matter what efforts you make. It would probably take a special breeding program to develop resistant varieties for it to survive. Perhaps it is time to consider a substitute plant to fill the box niche? (Now that sounds very odd. Not meant to be a pun.)

Bart, sorry also to hear about your health issues. Wishing you a swift return to your more robust self.

Bart, good luck. With patience and care you may be able to get your work done.

I well know the frustration of not being able to get out in the garden. Also I know what it's like to leave it to its own devices for a long period and find a weed jungle when I do get back to it. Fortunately for both of us (and our gardens) we've never been able to coddle our plants, and as a result they're resilient: covered in bindweed and surrounded by wild lettuce, perhaps, but there, and healthy. It's so comforting to get to work on one's garden. I've been enjoying myself, bugs, sun, heat, and all, and hope you'll have the same pleasure.

It's hot here, too; sticky weather that makes me sweat. My successful efforts to green our yard may have unintentionally created conditions favorable to mosquitoes as well. The house is even warming up again, and there's no rain in the two week forecast. Oh, patience! At least the landscape is becoming green once more, and I'm creating order out of chaos in this corner and that of the garden.

Paula, I hope you're wrong. I'm going to try my best to keep the box alive: it offends me to see an alien pest come in and destroy such a significant part of Italian gardening patrimony. Also there's no substitute for box in my garden: I've thought about it. I hope that Italian scientists and horticulturalists are working on finding a solution.