Wednesday, April 27, 2016

April's Wildflower Wednesday, 2016

This is one of my favorite times of the year, when spring is in full swing, and there are new discoveries to be made each time you go out for a yard walk.  Unlike Gail, from Clay and Limestone, our host, who normally showcases a flower or few, and gives information on them, I tend to include almost every wildflower that is blooming.  I started to include some that I've already posted about this year, and just decided to delete those.  Ruby did not take a nap today, so I am just getting this finished.

I did include one I've already posted. Gail, I was thinking this was False Solomon's Seal I planted in this wash tub a number of years ago, to limit its spread.  Does it look like it to you?


The amsonias are just starting to bloom.  This is either illustris or tabernaemontana.


I used to have some columbines that were not native.  When I planted some native ones in the same general area, I didn't realize they would cross with each other.  I now have all native looking blooms, which look t me to be a bit larger than they would have been on their own.


This is the first Virginia waterleaf set of blooms.  I wouldn't have noticed it yet, if I wasn't looking for what was blooming for this post.


I have to protect the phloxes from rabbits.  I've been seeing more damage on different kinds of plants, now that we are seeing bunnies.  This is wild blue phlox, next to the puffy seedheads of pasque flowers.  On the lower right are the blooms of rose mock vervain.


 The golden alexanders are starting to bloom.  They are a host plant for the black swallowtail butterfly, and I'm tickled to have seen some on them.


This is what Gail calls PPP, "Practically Perfect Pink Phlox".   The phlox pilosa is just opening a few blooms.


I have shown Fremont clematis blooms, but decided to include this one of the plant.  It's another of my favorites.


We were supposed to have some severe storms yesterday, but just a bit of thunder and lightning with the inchish of rain.  There was a tornado today in Omaha, an hour from here, which was on the national news, while we were just having cloudy skies.  I've not heard more about any damage it caused.  I'll have to watch the news at 10:00.  I hope all is well with you.




12 comments:

  1. Hi Sue-so glad to hear you escaped the worst of the storms. A lot of places got terrible hail as well--that can destroy a garden in minutes!
    Love your blooms--we're STILL just "brown" up here--though I suppose that's better than white with snow!

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  2. Drizzling now and more rain coming, but hopefully not the same stormy weather as last Friday

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  3. The Virginia waterleaf is incredibly invasive here - and the roots are more than impressive. So nice to see it being well-behaved in your yard. I too had some crossing with several varieties of columbines last year - a variety I got from and English seed co. and another I'd done from a seed co in Canada - such sweet little blossoms. Very few plants have that red colour. We are well behind your growing progress - just too cold at the moment. Thanks for sharing all your little treasures. Hope the storms stay well away from you and your family and friends.

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    1. I try to remember to deadhead the Virginia waterfleaf, and do take some out at the edges, so they don't exactly behave themselves on their own. ;-)

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  4. I have trouble keeping Columbines alive. Yours are so pretty I am going to try again!
    Have a great day!
    Lea

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  5. I love the clematis varieties with bell-shaped blooms. So classy and refined! My Phlox pilosa has been blooming since late January and it's still going strong, but when I had it in south central Kansas, it only lasted a year or two before dying out. We'll see how it does over this next winter here in the Florida panhandle.

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  6. I have thinned out a bunch of Columbine this spring! They really DO propagate.
    I'm not familiar with many of the other plants you show here....I do have something I thought was faux Solomon's Seal, but mine is variegated.....Glad the storms didn't do damage to your beautiful corner garden.

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  7. Hi Sue,
    I'm so glad the tornado missed you! Your garden is lovely. You inspire me to grow more native wildflowers. They really are fun....beside being beautiful, they always have a use. I got a chuckle over the native Columbine taking over.....

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  8. Wow, you are so far ahead of us this year, and I thought things were early here! My Columbines are just emerging. I love their foliage along with their gentle blooms. I'm glad you didn't have too much damage from the storms!

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  9. April is looking lovely in your garden Sue!

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  10. Columbines are blooming early this year, I love the red and yellow natives but mine were very weak and slowly disappeared while the double "petticoat" type go crazy. I can't seem to grow Amsonia, either, it seems some of the east coast natives don't do well here at all. I'm glad to find the Virginia waterleafs are invasive, I was tempted by them since the native waterleafs do well here. I'm glad the tornado stayed away, they are scary.

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  11. Amsonia is one of my favorite spring bloomers--I love those blue flowers! My PPPP is just starting to bloom, too. Glad the worst of the storms passed you by; it's been a scary spring in some places in the country.

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