It's time for Gail's Wildflower Wednesday. I am excited about all the plants that are up, and how well the natives I planted last year are doing. Last month a commenter asked me if I consider all native plants to be wild plants. I meant to answer her, but didn't get to it. I am thinking that all native plants would be considered wild, but not all wildflowers are native. Some wildflowers are native from other parts of the U.S. than where one lives, and others, like Queen Anne's Lace, which is invasive many places, is from Europe. The definitions of wildflowers I found mostly say they are plants that grow without human effort. Do you have any thoughts on this? While most of the plants in my post are native, some are not, but I looked up the ones I wasn't sure about, and found that they are wildflowers.
Oh, and when I posted about the golden alexanders, I said they get up to 2.5 feet. The decimal point didn't show up very well. It is 2 1/2 feet, not 25 feet. ;o) I sure am enjoying them!
I showed the heuchera richardsonii in my last WW post. They have been blooming awhile. I sure like them!
Gail, my phlox pilosa is looking a bit bedraggled. I had it protected in some wire, so maybe it wasn't getting enough sun. The other clump of it was eaten down to the stubs by the rabbits. I moved the wire to it, and it looks like it is sending up some new growth.
The helenium hoopesii is a wildflower that is not native to my area, but I sure am loving it!
I am enjoying my one blue eyed grass plant, and may plant some more.
I went to a brief talk on planting native plants Sunday evening, where we were told people with small yards should not grow grey headed coneflowers. Well, I have 6 clumps of it, 2 of which have been in the back yard a number of years. I love them!
The native columbines sure have had a nice bloom season, and are still going strong. Last month, I mentioned that there were no new ones in the yard. I was wrong. There are a few growing on the east side of the house.
The allysum wulfenianom, new ones for me, were just starting to bloom last month. They are cute little things.
I have a couple of these phlox pilosa 'Eco Happy Traveler' plants that I was pleased to find, until I got ahold of some wild ones. Gail, do the phlox pilosas come up from seed? Should I keep these if the pilosas start doing well? They sure are pretty, but even though I will never be able to be a purist, I don't want to be irresponsible, either.
The amsonias are near their peak. This is hubrictii.
I keep the Virginia waterleaf deadheaded so it won't seed all over, like I've heard it can.
The first time I saw amsonia tabernaemontana was in my sister-in-law's alley. It was love at first sight, and I kept looking until I found out what it was, and was able to find one. Then, when I discovered there were other kinds, I had to have them, too. How cool to find out they are wildflowers, some native to our area, and others close by.
I looked up gas plant to make sure it is a wildflower, and found it is. One has to be careful not to touch it, but I sure think it is a beauty!
Woodland phlox is one of my favorite spring flowers. The larger leaves belong to a salvia.
The geum prairie smoke was blooming a month ago. Soon, there will be fluffy seedheads that are as attractive as the blooms.
Money plant is another wildflower that I'm thinking I read is not native to Nebraska. Can you see the round green seedheads? When they mature, they can be dried and used in dried flower arrangements. They are a biennial. I have a large patch of them in my garden across the street that are taller than this clump.
My friend Janet has a huge double lot to garden, and she grows lots of spready plants that I usually don't have room for when she offers me divisions. Orange hawkweed is officially invasive in some places, but it is one I accepted a number of years ago. It is native to some of our neighboring states, but not Nebraska. I have it on the edge of a bed, and have been able to keep it within the area I have for it.
One of the baptisias is blooming, and the other couple will soon. There is a purple iris blooming in this clump, which I am pretty sure was a volunteer a number of years ago.
My heart goes out to those in the east who have had snow. I haven't heard any reports today, so don't know how much fell, or what damage was done. It got up to 90 degrees here. In a few days, the high is supposed to be in the 50s. Yes, we are having wacky weather!
Oh, and when I posted about the golden alexanders, I said they get up to 2.5 feet. The decimal point didn't show up very well. It is 2 1/2 feet, not 25 feet. ;o) I sure am enjoying them!
I showed the heuchera richardsonii in my last WW post. They have been blooming awhile. I sure like them!
Gail, my phlox pilosa is looking a bit bedraggled. I had it protected in some wire, so maybe it wasn't getting enough sun. The other clump of it was eaten down to the stubs by the rabbits. I moved the wire to it, and it looks like it is sending up some new growth.
The helenium hoopesii is a wildflower that is not native to my area, but I sure am loving it!
I am enjoying my one blue eyed grass plant, and may plant some more.
I went to a brief talk on planting native plants Sunday evening, where we were told people with small yards should not grow grey headed coneflowers. Well, I have 6 clumps of it, 2 of which have been in the back yard a number of years. I love them!
The native columbines sure have had a nice bloom season, and are still going strong. Last month, I mentioned that there were no new ones in the yard. I was wrong. There are a few growing on the east side of the house.
The allysum wulfenianom, new ones for me, were just starting to bloom last month. They are cute little things.
I have a couple of these phlox pilosa 'Eco Happy Traveler' plants that I was pleased to find, until I got ahold of some wild ones. Gail, do the phlox pilosas come up from seed? Should I keep these if the pilosas start doing well? They sure are pretty, but even though I will never be able to be a purist, I don't want to be irresponsible, either.
The amsonias are near their peak. This is hubrictii.
I keep the Virginia waterleaf deadheaded so it won't seed all over, like I've heard it can.
The first time I saw amsonia tabernaemontana was in my sister-in-law's alley. It was love at first sight, and I kept looking until I found out what it was, and was able to find one. Then, when I discovered there were other kinds, I had to have them, too. How cool to find out they are wildflowers, some native to our area, and others close by.
I looked up gas plant to make sure it is a wildflower, and found it is. One has to be careful not to touch it, but I sure think it is a beauty!
Woodland phlox is one of my favorite spring flowers. The larger leaves belong to a salvia.
The geum prairie smoke was blooming a month ago. Soon, there will be fluffy seedheads that are as attractive as the blooms.
Money plant is another wildflower that I'm thinking I read is not native to Nebraska. Can you see the round green seedheads? When they mature, they can be dried and used in dried flower arrangements. They are a biennial. I have a large patch of them in my garden across the street that are taller than this clump.
My friend Janet has a huge double lot to garden, and she grows lots of spready plants that I usually don't have room for when she offers me divisions. Orange hawkweed is officially invasive in some places, but it is one I accepted a number of years ago. It is native to some of our neighboring states, but not Nebraska. I have it on the edge of a bed, and have been able to keep it within the area I have for it.
One of the baptisias is blooming, and the other couple will soon. There is a purple iris blooming in this clump, which I am pretty sure was a volunteer a number of years ago.
My heart goes out to those in the east who have had snow. I haven't heard any reports today, so don't know how much fell, or what damage was done. It got up to 90 degrees here. In a few days, the high is supposed to be in the 50s. Yes, we are having wacky weather!
What a delightful post Sue! I think you can let the Eco Traveler spread~it's a cultivar of PPP{ and is really beautiful. Be prepared when happy they do travel, but, I find that charming. I wish I could get Waterleaf to grow with abandon here...They're so easy to pull out, I would be tempted to let them go where ever they wanted! I can't get the Ozark amsonia to thrive here, but, the others have taken off this year.
ReplyDeleteI think that it's a mistake to only plant small plants in a small garden. Gardens need movement, texture and color and taller plants can do that without overwhelming the space. Good for you for planting what ever you want! It's your garden. Happy gardening dear. gail
Beautiful selection of wildflowers, Sue! Love the baptisias especially. Mine started from seeds are in their third season, but it looks like it still might be another year or more before they bloom. For now I'm so enjoying seeing them in photos.
ReplyDeleteYes out here in the east we are further behind. We managed to miss the worst of the snow but of course it is all gone at this point. Your garden is looking wonderful and I love the assortment of plants you are growing. The amsonia is looking great as is the baptisia.
ReplyDeleteYou have such a large assortment of plants. I am working on container gardens this year as we don't know where we will live next and I don't want to leave my plants.
ReplyDeleteLovely flowers! I found some of that blue eyed grass too. Isn't it lovely?
ReplyDeleteAre all those things blooming in your garden now? Wow, you're way ahead of me now. That Helenium is unique. So many interesting plants!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful wildflowers especially the gas plant. That is one plant that does not seem to grow in my neck of the woods. It took my PPP that Gail gave me a few years to get going but once it did it has been splendid. Give it some time to settle in and wowser.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue, Love the baptisia, amsonia, gas plant, and alyssum! Everything looks so pretty in your corner garden.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful parade of wildflowers Sue! Your new look here is beautiful too!
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks fabulous, Sue;-) I just love all of the blooms, they look amazing! I love your blog 'look', too--the color purple is luscious;-)
ReplyDeleteWacky weather indeed. A few nights ago I was freezing and now I think by days end, we shall have the AC turned on!
ReplyDeleteI picked up 4 plant of some type of blue blooming grass yesterday. I have not had time to research it other then the store tag but I think it may be your Blue-eyed Grass Plant! How ironic that I have never seen this plant before and today you post on it and I picked some up yesterday! Small world....