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!

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.

Spring Frog Migration

This Wood Frog was on Oak Valley Road heading for the Eklund vernal pool to breed. She's fat with eggs. If you visit the garden in the spring you may hear lots of "quacking" from these frogs. They lay their eggs in the pool below the garden, along with the big Spotted Salamanders. Wood Frogs will only lay their eggs in special Vernal Pools like the one at Eklund. After the breeding season they return to the forest where they live. We find them hopping around in the garden.

The frogs and salamanders migrate on rainy nights as early in the spring as possible. If the snow melt is followed by a prolonged warm, dry spell, there will be a very busy migration as soon as rain and darkness coincide. Those were the conditions in 2010. In the photo above you can see three Wood Frogs on Oak Valley Road. There were actually about 15 frogs total along a stretch of road maybe 150 feet long.

Signs of Spring

It's just early March, yet the Jacob's Ladder looks ready to take off.

The Bearberry looks great! Last year we lost most of our Bearberry due to the deer.

Here's part of the Eagle Scout project by Thomas Keegan and company last fall: newly repaired steps.

And here's the new kiosk they built. People will be able to reference the kiosk to find out more about the plants they see.

Timber!!

Volunteers Terry Gallagher, Rich Skudlarek, and Bill Dyer joined forces to drop the second half of an oak tree today. The trunk that was leaning over the deer fence so care needed to be taken so as not to destroy the fence.

Richard rigged up a rope to pull it away from the fence while Terry worked the chain saw. Bill was maintaining a safe distance and getting pictures.

After dropping the tree they sawed it up and stacked the logs. Looks like the double trunk was somewhat hollow...maybe it would make a good planter.

Tracks Around the Deer Fence

The snow cover provides ready evidence that the deer fence is working. The deer -- as well as other assorted creatures -- are walking up to the fence, milling about, then going around.

Besides deer tracks, we have raccoon:

and what may be a weasel:

and squirrels:

A post from the "In the Field" blog last year, before the fence was installed, showed a highway of deer and coyote going right through the garden.

Creating More Sunlight

Last summer a twin-oak on the hill above Eklund Garden shaded out the butterfly bed in the morning, so today Terry and Ryan Gallagher headed out to cut it down. The frozen garden and blanket of snow served to protect the flower beds from the falling tree.

They were only able to remove half of the tree, since the other half was hanging over the deer fence. The other half and a few of the smaller trees nearby still need to be removed. This will give the butterfly garden another hour or so of sun.

Ryan didn't actually get to use the chain saw.