What's Blooming Now 2013

[Rebek56]

Something on ratibida
Close-up with antennae
physostegia and panicum
abused silphium in its second year (big bluestem in background)

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by linrose

The good news is that most folks won't remove trees so it's nice your dad's black gum trees are still there dap. At least when we move we start again and try to be good land stewards to a new place.

True. Another good reason to plant native trees...they will likely be there for a long, long time.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by Ellenwright

That's a great way to look at it linrose. Although my townhouse habitat was destroyed I now have a 4.5 acre habitat. That's a big positive!

That is a big positive. Sad that the townhouse habitat was destroyed, but now you are providing things on a much bigger scale.

Originally Posted by Ellenwright

It would be nice if we could sell our wildlife places to only those who would preserve it.

I've often thought the very same thing.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by linrose

When we moved from Vermont to Indiana we had over 100 potted plants in the moving van. We've not done that since...

Jeff could tell stories about the potted plants crammed in the remaining space of more than one U-Haul truck from at least three moves...luckily, I didn't have to dig them up as I had a container garden at each of the places we rented before buying our home(stead).

If he ever finds time to sign on again, he might just tell a story or two.

What I do remember, is down-sizing what I had and planting them in various friends' yards.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by Rebek56

...abused silphium in its second year (big bluestem in background)

You've got me thinking that my Silphium will be just fine where I've put it...and I might just add a big bluestem or two with it.

[Rebek56]

Originally Posted by dapjwy

You've got me thinking that my Silphium will be just fine where I've put it...and I might just add a big bluestem or two with it.

My original silphium is planted with switchgrass, which I think actually looks better. I like the feathery grass plumes with those bold yellow flowers.

[turttle]

Why everyone should plant silphiums, joe-pye and anise hyssop...

My yard has had an irruption of Eastern Tiger Swallowtails this year, probably four to five times as many as previous years. I don't know if any of you have noticed this. I don't know if it is that my flowers have really grown in or with the amount of rain we have had the trees are happier and their caterpillars are doing better. In any case, it is kind of magical to watch them going crazy over my plants.

My clethra is blooming here, too, for about a week now.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by Rebek56

My original silphium is planted with switchgrass, which I think actually looks better. I like the feathery grass plumes with those bold yellow flowers.

I'll consider that as well...maybe both grasses if I have the room.

My concern is that I don't really want the taller grasses in the main meadow...they are fine along the edge, but I doubt they will stay put.

I plan to have a lot of little bluestem and other grasses, sedges, and rushes that are on the shorter side, but I haven't thought it all through yet.

[NEWisc]

Originally Posted by turttle

Why everyone should plant silphiums, joe-pye and anise hyssop...

My yard has had an irruption of Eastern Tiger Swallowtails this year, probably four to five times as many as previous years. I don't know if any of you have noticed this. I don't know if it is that my flowers have really grown in or with the amount of rain we have had the trees are happier and their caterpillars are doing better. In any case, it is kind of magical to watch them going crazy over my plants.

My clethra is blooming here, too, for about a week now.

Wow, that's a lot of tiger swallowtails! I can see where that would be a magical kind of experience.

[will-o-wisp]

I've been noticing more tiger swallowtails this year also, not only in the garden but at random places driving around.