Thursday, April 29, 2010

Spring Blooms

This Foam Flower is blooming very nicely along the top of the big retaining wall. Foam Flower will take some shade and is an alternative to non-native Astilbe.

The Bluets that went to seed (lower clump) are more white than their parents (upper clump).

The Virginia Strawberries planted along the bank are doing well. Our domestic strawberries are crosses between this native strawberry, which had tasty but tiny berries, and European strawberries, which had large but bland-tasting berries.

This Red Trillium is just about done.
Jack-in-the-Pulpit.

Woodland Phlox are just starting to open up. Deer love these!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Early Spring Blooms


Last year we planted and planted. This year we get to see what comes back and what dies off. So far, the biggest treat is this big patch of Bloodroot. Quite frankly, I forget we ever even planted it, because this spring wildflower dies off in the summer. The roots must have really spread, however, because it was just a couple little sprigs a year ago.


These Pussytoes are in the rock garden and seem to be spreading rapidly this spring. A nice groundcover.



Some of the Bluets went to seed and we are finding them popping up around the main Butterfly Garden bed. I'm seeing a lot of wild Bluets along the roadsides and in parks the last couple days as well. Those tend to be pretty white in hue.

There are a lot of Pulmonaria blooming at Eklund right now, but they are not native and we certainly didn't plant them. They have escaped and naturalized from the original flower beds, as have Foxglove, a sedum groundcover, and Black Swallowwort. These are all considered "weeds" at Eklund. Volunteers are allowed to dig them up and take them home as a reward for working in the garden.