Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Wildflowers

 It's the fourth Wednesday of the month, which means it's Wildflower Wednesday, hosted by Gail, of Clay and Limestone.  As is typical of me, I forgot about it until I saw a post on it this morning.  I went out before the pollinators were out and about yet, so they weren't in the photos I took.

I seem to be a collector of liatris.  This is a young 'aspera'.  It's the one I had netting over for awhile because the rabbits had eaten it down.  The ones of the same kind that did not get eaten are taller and have buds that are not open yet.


This wild quinine was tiny when I planted it, and it has grown to a nice size, almost 3 feet, its first season, and I love the blooms.  I'm thinking I've seen insects on them, too.



I have a number of these ratibida pinnata, gray headed coneflowers around the yard.  The ones that have been around longer are much taller than these planted this summer.
 

This rattlesnake master is in a moister spot than it's supposed to prefer, but it has done well a number of years here.


Skullcap, 'Mongolian Skies':


Rudbeckia, 'Herbstonne' and some gray headed coneflower right in front of it, leaning over to the right.


I don't remember which liatris this is, next to the lovely foliage of amsonia hubrichtii.


This is the plant I asked for from the lady who grows it the corner of her yard, which is on a busy street.  I'm pretty sure it's Rudbeckia 'Goldquelle'.  I found it in my 1996 Eyewitness Garden Handbooks Perennials. I'm tickled that it's doing well and blooming.  It's not as tall as the clump it came from.  Hopefully it will get taller next year.


Genitan:

This is the plant from the friend who locked her keys in her car at a plant sale we happened to be finished with at the same time.  I took her home, and she gave me this plant that gets pretty tall.  It is reminding me of the plant I stopped and asked for, but I think it's a bit different.  That's more gray headed coneflower in the background.


The yellow in the background on the left, is false sunflowers, heliopsis, holding its own with the foliage of amsonia tabernaemontana and baptisia.  The globe thistles are normally loaded with bees and wasps.


This is the phlox that was a passalong over 13 years ago.  It kept getting a disease, so I pulled it up, but it didn't stay pulled, so I let it grow unless it the leaves get very sick looking.  I need to deadhead them soon.  I'll leave some to reseed later in the season.


I've mentioned the lead plant is slow to emerge in the spring, and then, it gets eaten by rabbits, but manages to pull through.  Have you ever made tea with it?  I guess you have to dry the leaves first.  I keep forgetting what others tell me about how to do it.  I'll have to see if the information is on the internet.
 

The common milkweed was getting quite tall, and a neighbor asked me what my plans were for it, so I cut it back by about 15 inches.  It didn't seem to mind.  If I come across any more ironweed plants, I'll get a couple more.  This is the second year for this one.  I've been seeing monarch and eastern swallowtail butterflies on the liatris plants in the background.


The Virginia mountain mint is a favorite of wasps, and bees like it, too.


I'm thinking this joe pye weed (that I featured in the previous post) is 'Gateway'.  There are all kinds of little insects and bees enjoying these blooms, some of which are 6 feet in the air.


We had a little rain last night, but my pots are not impressed.  I may to need to water them tonight.  There's a 50% chance of rain tonight, though, so we'll have to see what it looks like.   I'm glad I didn't plant as many pots as last year, because we are starting our 3rd week of temps in the upper 90s to 100 some, with heat indexes 100 to 110ish.  Whew!  I'm gardening in the early mornings, coming in hot and sopping wet by 9 or 10 a.m.  I normally don't sweat much.  I am amazed that most plants seem to be doing OK.  I have to grin when I hear the weather folks say we're going to have a cold front come through, so tomorrow, it's only supposed to get up to 88 degrees.  I guess we will feel the difference.

Go visit Gail, and see who else has a post on wildflowers.

22 comments:

  1. beautiful post and beautiful plants, as always! I just had to comment as well on your previous post on the Joe Pye Weed...it's so stupendous, isn't it...I just adore them! Even before blooming, those purple-red stems are so striking!

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  2. Glad to see someone in the south growing Quinine. I saw it used in Piet Oudolf's design at the Battery Gardens in NY and decided to try to grow it from seeds. Lovely!

    I planted rattlesnake master a few weeks ago and am trying to keep it going in our 100 degree heat. Love that plant, too.

    You have wonderful wildflowers in your garden and so many in bloom at the same time.

    Hope we all get rain, milder temperatures.

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  3. 88 degrees does sound rather cool to me right now:)

    You have such a lovely variety of natives in your garden, Sue. I just saw the unusual liatris in my wildflowers book, but I've never seen it in anyone's garden before. I'm growing the "ordinary" liatris for the first time this year and have been happy that it's doing so well. Love the gray-headed coneflowers; that's a native I've wanted to add to my garden for some time. Your garden must be full of all kinds of pollinators!

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  4. Great native collection. Mama used to call the yellow plant from your friend 'Golden Glow' for lack of a botanical name.It is always a treat to visit your garden.

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  5. Sue,

    Common Milkweed I have seen it mowed to the ground and it pops right back up. You have lots of liatris, mine barely survived last years heat.

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  6. I drove through some rain on the way home from work today, but no rain at the house. Your wildflowers are lovely. I don't think I have anything that would classified as a wildflower, but I'm not sure.

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  7. Sue, I am having a serious case of full sun envy! Your plants are happy. Mine are leaning over a bit searching for the sun! I love liatris aspera, it blooms a bit later for me~Happy WW. gail

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  8. Is the Liatris you were wondering about Spike Gayfeather aka Blazing Star?

    This heat is driving me crazy!! I went for a walk this morning and came home with sweat dripping from my hair and I could hardly see because of the sweat running in my eyes. I try to do a bit of gardening off and on during the day and in the morning, but I'm afraid the heat is winning the fight. As are the worms...that's a story for another day. :(

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  9. So many pretty wildflowers Sue. Your gardens are lovely!

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  10. Golly to goodness- not ONE of your plants flower here, let alone are wildflowers! Phlox does grow in very sheltered places, but not on our storm-swept mountain! Its lovely to see your profusion of flowers, and its so interesting to read what you write since its so different to here. Thank you for the very interesting looksee!

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  11. I'm envious of your Liatris. It seems to be the deers favorite food around here. They keep nipping off the blossums.

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  12. Wow Sue. I feel for you with your heat. I just hope the "cool-down" will last and make it more enjoyable to go outside. Your garden looks wonderful. You'd never know it was so hot. My Leadplant is looking good this year. I hope it blooms.

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  13. Yeah, it's too hot here too I'm deep watering my plants twice a day. Lucky it rained so hard yesterday I don't have to water them a day or two..

    Wonderful, wonderful collection Sue. :)The quinine is my favorite!

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  14. You really take care of your garden. The flowers really give such a glorious blooms regardless whether they are considered weed or otherwise.
    Thanks for sharing.

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  15. You have alot of wonderful selections of natives in your garden Sue and their all in full bloom. :)

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  16. your flowers are so pretty....long time no "talk too"...hope your doing well

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  17. All of your plants look wonderfully healthy and happy, Sue. I have lost many plants this season, and those that are still alive are just hanging on. I especially love your liatris, next to the amsonia hubrichtii. A lovely combination. The Genitan and Quinine are very nice additions to your amazing garden.

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  18. You have a beautiful garden. I enjoyed all your photos and they inspire me to do more gardening today.

    I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

    Blessings!
    P.S. I just signed up to follow your blog but I've been here several times already.

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  19. Sue, this is the time of the year all gardeners wait for. It's the time when flowers are blooming, gardens are producing, and life is good. My low tech bean can garden rain gauge measured about 1 1/4 inch of rain from that last rain a few days ago. It filled the 400 gallon garden watering tank so I'm good to go with that for a week or so. Your corner yard has to be the best in the neighborhood. I don't know how you keep track of all the different flowers. Most of my flowers are spring flowers with the exception of the arbor plantings of Impatiens and Begonias.

    Thanks for sharing your beautiful yard with us all. Have a great day in the flowering yard.

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  20. Hi Sue,

    I have a number of perennial phlox and they get a greyish tinge to them (the leaves) sometimes, which is some kind of mildew. I think it's supposed to be a trait of theirs.

    Yours is lovely!

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I welcome comments and questions from anyone, including those who do it anonymously. Some people find my posts by doing searches, and I like hearing from them. I guess spammers won't even read this message, but I will delete spam as soon as I see it.