Sunny And Cold

After a recent brief taste of Spring weather, we are back into freezing temperatures with much of our time spent indoors.  This afternoon a walk to the mailbox drew both of us outside in the bright sunlight.  We provide homes for a rather large group of chipmunks.  They are sassy in their determined statements that we are trespassing on their home ground.  They have eaten possibly all of our California Trout lilies over this winter and feed freely on other plants in our shade garden.  This pictured tree trunk supports barbed wire fence and has several openings at ground level providing the resident chipmunk with several entrances to his home.  A chipmunk crossing the driveway here is a common sight but it was not until today that Becky discovered its home.

Camassia quamash is a plant native to the western part of North America.  This plant may have been responsible for the winter survival of the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition.  Resident native Americans introduced this food plant to those explorers.  The picture shows that this single purchased plant has expanded generously but we have yet to see a flower.  The reason for this mixed success escapes us but we remain hopeful that flowers may sometime be seen here.   We have experienced previous failures with plants that also grow at much higher elevations.  I do not understand the impact of altitude on a plant but there is some reason why this plant does not flower.  New bulbs are produced each year with green leaves in evidence throughout the summer.  Little is written about this plant so no solution for this plant's struggle will likely be found.  The visible red stems may belong to a native wild geranium that produces beautiful flowers but is extremely invasive.  When the weather moderates, these invaders will be removed from this area.

There are many different varieties of Bleeding heart plants.  Neither the original source nor the proper name of this plant is known to us.  We do know that this plant has begun to grow while our other Bleeding hearts remain dormant.  For the moment the dead plant parts will remain in place to offer a measure of frost protection to this eager plant.  These two plants are located at either end of our garden bench.  Seated right next to these unusually shaped flowers provides us with an unforgettable pleasant experience. 

These native Rudbeckia trilobas have taken over extensive sections of our gardens.  Their yellow ray flowers sporting a brown center are waist high, wide and beautiful.  They successfully compete with the weeds that are claiming our garden ground but leave behind huge masses of dead growth and tons of seed.  The deer have not eaten them which is a tremendous advantage not shared by many of our desired plants.  This surviving cluster will likely be moved to a more open spot since we must encourage any native plants that can hold their ground from the weeds.  When the ground once again thaws we will return to cleaning up our growing areas.
 

Signs Of Seasonal Change

There is no question that our late August weather is less than fun to work in.  Searing heat and the accompanying heat advisories limit the amount of time that we are willing to remain outside.  The swarms of tiny biting insects are beyond unpleasant.  So far no broken safety glasses have accompanied frenzied moves to get the little buggers away from my eyes.  It might be considered heresy to wish for a frost but the thought has crossed my mind.

New England Asters are a favorite.  We enjoy them as do the deer and insects.  Deer pruning gives us shorter plants and slightly later blossoms.  This wire cage could be identified as deliberately placed protection but actually it is part of a pile of unused fencing.   

Goldenrod is an invasive weed beyond description.  Its root mass is so huge that a five foot pry bar is needed to loosen the plant for removal.  In short order it will choke out all of the other garden plants.  We would like it gone but it provides the last source of pollen for the newly arriving Monarch Butterflies.  Frost survival is an uncommon trait among flowering plants so we actually welcome extensive appearances of it.  Its yellow color is quite attractive if one can get by its invasive habit.

Becky found five different species of Goldenrod growing on our land when we first moved here.  Their names were easily retrieved then but those days are behind us now.  Even I recognized that this plant was different from the more common variety but I have absolutely no idea of its name.

 

The Clara Curtis chrysanthemums were deliberately planted here.  That small group has expanded wildly and they have been transplanted in many different locations throughout our gardens.  Cardinal Flower and Rudbeckia Triloba are both self planted and welcome.

Bent But Not Broken

After sitting for a spell, a walk up the hill took me to the last of my transplanted Arbutus plants.  One plant of each gender were placed here and the deeply rotted White pine needle soil has supported impressive growth.  Seeds have formed for several years so new plants may be included in the photo but no disturbance has happened looking for new from seed plants.  A wire cage is needed here to keep animals from eating these evergreen plants when snow melt reveals bright green leaves.  Edge stones prevent marauders from pushing the cage aside with the central stones supporting the cage when animals walk across it.  Today taller stones were needed as the cage was pushed down nearly crushing the desired plants.  No protective gloves nor kneeling pads can be seen as this started out as a walk to simply get the mail.

Today's patch is completed with the cage returned to its intended location.

The White pine has been here for years and this year's cone production was again impressive.  Both chipmunks and red squirrels live among the old stone wall.  At this time they are busy harvesting pine nuts that are likely being hidden in crevices in the wall.  Few intact cone are seen here now while the shredded remains are everywhere. 

 Back up the hill at home six deer were grazing on what I call lawn.  I took a series of pictures as I walked in their direction.  This is as close as I got before the herd moved into the taller weeds.   Before they bolted several tried turf stabs in an attempt to frighten me away.  These mature does and their fawns see this land as their own and they do feed on my garden plants.  In my younger days I would shout and harmlessly shoot my gun in an attempt to drive them away.  Now they spend a great deal of time here and we enjoy watching another generation get ready for the coming winter.

Butterflies Are Free

For years we have cultivated plants that attract butterflies.  This year we have been rewarded with Monarch sightings on a daily basis.  Now though, when the milkweed has gone to seed, it is the late nectar-producing flowers that lure butterflies into the garden.

Clara Curtis Chrysanthemums, Pink New England Asters and Brown-eyed Susans all provide food for butterflies.  I wanted to snap a picture a Milbert's Tortise Shell on the mums, but it was too fast for me. Yes there is orange in the upper left of this picture and it is some kind of butterfly, but it is not the shot I was hoping to get!!

Persistence pays!  I chased this butterfly from flower to flower and finally got a half-winged picture of that speedy Milbert's Tortoise Shell.  With the dry weather we have had, the leaves on the sunflowers make kind of an ugly background.  They are left there so that the soon-to-leave goldfinches and the newly arrived Black-capped Chickadees have sunflower seeds to eat.

With just a little cropping, I got my picture.  This butterfly is a real jewel!  It is the patch of stinging nettles relished by the caterpillars of this beauty that attract it to the garden.  Like us, this butterfly stays put when cold weather comes and may be seen in the garden on warm days long after the Monarchs have gone!  Butterflies in our garden are free  to come and go as they please.