Time to take a shallow, messy dive into What’s That Fern? First, some terms that might be helpful and a diagram that maybe isn’t. (It helped me, though. Enjoy!) Frond: full structure from the ground up. Stipe: the “stem” or “stalk” on the frond that stretches from the ground to […]
When we were looking at this house and walking through the 4.4 acres of “eclectic” conditions (wetland, dry infertile areas, clay soil, sandy soil, full sun in some areas, surrounded by woodland, bunch of boulders pushed around by glacial force and the whims of the builders) we walked along […]
….no reason, I just thought it was interesting. Above, Japanese Stewartia in fall, a heart root system I believe. The guide in question. And another post on root systems.
Asters are no longer asters, they are in the genus Symphotrichtum, unless they are Eurybia, and there are dozens of species. They are all harassed-looking daisy-types with 1/4″ or 1 1/2″ flowers, heart shaped leaves or lance-like leaves, in varying shades of murky blues and purples and whites and pinks. […]
A few favorites. I may add more to the post later in the season, when January and the desire to do literally anything with gardening becomes unmanageable. These are a mix of natives and non-natives. (I’m writing up some thoughts on the native/non-native plant discourse; I’ll update with a link […]
(I struggled with image classes on this post and think I fixed them but apologies if a later update blows out my edits. I’ll fix it. Eventually.) Above: Bottle gentians, blue, late blooming, good cut flowers–in particular with late flowering orange and yellow daisy-shaped flowers and dahlias. Native. Allegedly attractive […]
So much beauty so late in the season…
Seen today on a black eyed susan. If I’m correct about the ID, it’s a female (the red legs are the tell apparently.) From the link: “Females of some species of Thynnid wasps are wingless. Males find them on the ground and carry them into the air on a nuptial […]
One of the front pollinator beds was added in April 2020. At roughly 4′ x 15′, it contains twelve Golden Alexanders (host plants for black swallowtails and food source for a lot of the little solitary bees) and twelve Bottle Gentians, both from Prairie Nursery. There’s a birdhouse at the […]