Still Hanging Out in the Yard

All of my time is still being spent at my house these days, safely avoiding crowds and hanging out with our grandson. While I’d love to be going on field trips and other plant-related activities, I’m getting some things done here and continuing to enjoy the happenings here. Bloom-wise, this is a fairly modest period with small (but special) plants flowering here and there.

I upgraded my phone a couple months ago so here are a few photos from around the garden and a trip out to drop off some plants at a local small nursery, many of them from the phone. I’m a huge fan of finding and appreciating roadside plants so having a better camera on the phone will help take quick pics.

Asclepias tuberosa with Glandularia canadensis 'Homestead Purple'
at Night Song Native Plant Nursery display bed

Coreopsis tinctoria on roadside (wildflower planting)

Monarda didyma at Night Song

Phlox carolina in a pot on my porch

Yard projects include redoing the perennial area at the front sidewalk and thinning out some of the overgrown shrubs and tree growth. Plants grow and we can’t expect areas to remain the same. In a managed landscape, it is up to the gardener to reevaluate areas and correct as needed. I’ve written about cutting trees to open up more light. I’m not doing that this year but next year will be 5 years since and I might consider again.

Much of my redo effort consists of potting up what I’m removing; these are good plants and they deserve good homes but it makes for a longer project. In particular, I potted up 12 summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) and gave 6 to my neighbor and 6 to another friend. In the newly cleared space, I planted Asclepias perennis, sundrops (Oenothera fruticosa), spotted beebalm (Monarda punctata), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale), and Zizia. These plants were grown from seed (my friend Sheri is so talented and the seed for the sundrops came from another friend’s garden, even more special!) or were gifts from friends. I am happy for them to have a new place front and center! Did I overplant? Probably … so I get to do this again in about 4-5 years!!

Amianthium muscaetoxicum in back yard

Ruellia carolinensis volunteers a lot

Second flush on Lonicera sempervirens

Chimaphila maculata is quite small

Other areas are getting a little more attention as well, and I got a batch of tree trimmings from the utility contractor in the area so the paths and some beds are getting a layer of shreds. I know some of my friends are also using the extra time at home to get some garden projects done too. Several of us are making a concentrated effort to reduce the pots of rescued and propagated plants (one neighbor asked me if I was a part-time nursery—I am not!) either by planting them or donating them to friends and good causes.

Asclepias purpurascens

Sisyrinchium angustfolium

The butterfly season is pretty slow this year - perhaps another too wet spring. A friend gave me Monarch eggs and Queen caterpillars so we have been growing those. I finally found some Spicebush caterpillars this week in the yard.

Newly emerged Monarch

Queen chrysalis