Lawn And Garden Musings

I've been busy around the yard lately. One small job, which I've considered doing for a long time but never accomplished, began with dumping some compost over the fence into the dogs' yard:

I used it to cover up two rocks and to fill in a low spot. How much good it will do and if the dogs will leave it in place remains to be seen:

One of the most ubiquitous wildflowers in the yard began to flower. It is Bladder Campion, a member of the Pink family. And of course that is Red Clover below:

You've seen lots of photos of the healthy Ninebark, but I've been distressed about the one which got sick last year and is now stunted and haven't photographed it. Today I noticed that it is growing and doing well, albeit a year behind its nearby relative:

The little rock garden is so crammed with flowering perennials now that I can't even pull weeds - except at the outer margin. I took this photo to illustrate the Asiatic Lilies preparing to bloom and the three or four stems of Blue Sea Holly which are developing rapidly. Only the one on the right is beginning to turn blue so far:

Photos of the Blue Sea Holly flowers show it to have feathery, blue "petals." If they're going to have such blue petals, they'll need to start growing some soon:

I was surprised to see that the Magic Carpet Spirea had nearly doubled in size and was blooming profusely. It is a dwarf variety, but looks as if it will be able to hold its own, even as the other plants outgrow it:

And another shot of the old fashioned rose. It was putting on such a display that I couldn't resist. It pleases me to think that it survived a decade or more of being mowed down, and that I then saved it by simply mowing around it:

Another common wildflower has begun to bloom. It is a member of the Mint family and I have trouble remembering its name every year. But this year I recalled it with a glance at my field manual. It is called Motherwort because tea from its leaves was used to ease tension and other ailments of new and expectant mothers:

And in the lawn, the ubiquitous Heal-All has begun blooming (and so has White Clover). Also called Self-Heal, the plant has been used as a poultice for all kinds of wounds, rashes and skin ailments. I have read that new studies seem to indicate it can also inhibit the growth of viruses, including HIV:

Do you remember the trouble I had getting a Globe Thistle to grow? It took a few years and lots of effort, but I finally have one healthy plant - and this year it is sending up about three flower shoots:

At the top of each shoot I can see one baby "globe" developing, though I suspect there will be more of them. Maybe it will spread and I will have more Globe Thistle plants in the future. I've read that they are not invasive and several attempts to grow them from seed have failed, so that may not happen. Nonetheless, I'm happy to have this one:

Roadside Wildflowers

I've had enough free time this summer to get to know more of the wild plants with which I share this part of the planet. Here's some of my more recent photos and what I learned about them. This plant, obviously in the mint family (square stems, opposite leaves, tube shaped flowers with upper and lower lips), but I've never found it in my field manual or online. This year, however, I really, really searched and finally found it in the "Pink or Red Flowers" section. I'd previously only looked in the "Blue and Purple Flowers" section because that's what they look like to me. It is called Motherwort and probably originated in Europe and southern Asia. Now, however, it is considered invasive, though the bees sure like it.

I've previously photographed the minuscule Least Hop Clover, but this one, growing by my barn door, was bigger and I assumed it was (regular) Hop Clover. When I looked it up, though, I learned that it wasn't big enough and was therefore Smaller Hop Clover. It's nice to know there are bright yellow clovers:

A favorite of mine, Ladys-Thumb Smartweed:

Another common mint which I've never been able to identify before. This time, however, I tracked it down and decided it was Hemp-Nettle":

Springing up all around my house and barn are these Smooth Hawksbeard flowers. These only get to about 12" although taller, related species along many roadsides grow to over three feet tall:

Another of my favorites, Jewelweed, has begun blooming in wet places. The sap of Jewelweed plants is soothing for Poison Ivy, Nettles and bee sting irritations. I'm sensitive to Stinging Nettles and luckily, they tend to grow together in wet soil. Jewelweed's leaves shine like silver foil when submerged in water. If you scratch off the seed coat, Jewelweed's seeds are a bright blue color and, I've read, White-Footed Mice feeding on them develop blue bellies. Also called Touch-Me-Not, their ripe seed pods explode when touched, scattering their seeds up to six feet away and leaving tightly curled shreds of pod:

You've no doubt seen this plant all over waste areas where not much else will grow. Its seed pods turn dark brown when ripe and cling to the stalk. We used to think they looked like coffee grounds when we were kids and would strip them off the stalk and pretend we were going to make coffee. Apparently the tender young leaves are edible for humans, but cattle, sheep and chickens find the leaves and seeds toxic:

Queen Anne's Lace, of course, but surrounded by a Wild Cucumber Vine in full bloom:

A wildflower tableau: Northern Bedstraw, Butter-And-Eggs and Orpine:

I've seen Sedum plants growing along a drainage ditch in front of my house for years and assumed they had been planted by someone. This year I looked them up and discovered, to my surprise, that they are an alien wildflower which grows in some rather cold, northern locations:

Orpine looks for all the world like someone planted it here, and it looks even better with a bumblebee atop its bright pink flower head:

Goldenrod began blooming early in August and will continue right through autumn. There are over 60 species and I haven't even tried to learn them. I just enjoy their beauty, at least when they are not in my pastures:

One of the first flowers our mother taught us was Nightshade, a relative of potatoes, peppers and tomatoes. Our mother allowed a wild plant to grow in her flower garden just because we kids liked it so much:

The Farm In June

I arrived at the farm and found the tenants (and their dog) away and my hay fields all mowed. So as soon as the car was unpacked and the dogs settled, I took a walk out into the south hay field. There were 35 bales of exceptional size. That's far fewer than last year, but  the bales were larger and the hay was cut earlier. I suppose he's hoping for a second cutting. I will be sure to insist that he spread manure in the autumn as promised. This photo was taken out in the south hay field looking back toward the barn and house:                                                                                                            

I walked back to the house and made sure the dogs were happy and safe inside their fence:

The weeds had been growing lushly alongside the milk room:

These yellow lilies were all that remained of the domestic flower plantings of past years:

But the Milkweed was also lovely, and smelled heavenly besides:

Inside the base of the old silo, a forest of white flowered something-or-other was blooming profusely:

I walked over for a closer look and a photo which I could identify later. Alas, I could find no obvious match in my field guide. This plant grows everywhere, though, so it is apparently quite common. It looks a bit like Elderberry but I never saw any berries last year. Anybody know what this is?"

Near the fish pond I found Blue-Eyed Grass and Fragrant Bedstraw:

And the old-fashioned roses which were almost dead because the Maple trees had been choking them out were not only growing, but beginning to bloom:

I walked out into the north hay field and found 23 extra-large bales all lined up:

These bales were easily twice the size of those the other farmer had made last summer:

And Motherwort was blooming nearly everywhere. Summer had come to the farm and I was looking forward to the day I can be here to watch nature unfold every day in all seasons: