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.
 

Sweet, Sweet Scent

Our unusually cold March and April combined to delay the flowering of the Clove Currant by nearly one month.  This bush has been with us for decades.  When we first began to grow flowers, several women of considerable years took us under their wings and encouraged our efforts.  Ellie was with us from the start and gave us root runners from her Ribes odoratum plants.  We now have them growing in several different locations as one simply cannot have too many of these.

The fruit of this plant is a black currant.  Despite a large number of these bushes, we seldom see many ripe currants.  It is likely that the birds enjoy the currants.  Jam is not the reason that we grow so many of these bushes.  Their scent is a unique winner.  The aroma of cloves carries on the wind for a considerable distance.  We frequently walk into the sweet cloud as we work about the garden.  The scent is light and pleasant adding greatly to our enjoyment outside at this time of year.  There is much work to be done but this sweet smell silently overtakes us without warning.  Busy garden days are simply made pleasant by Clove Currant.

Beauty is the draw of this plant.  An old fashion Bleeding Heart anchors the corner in front of Becky's parents memorial bench.  It is a fair walk to this place since we located the bench in a spot that overlooks one of the favorite fishing holes of Becky's father.  We never fail to visit here when the flowers are in bloom.

The Great White Trillium also exerts a strong connection on us.  None were found growing here when we first found this land.  Recently, we buy more each year trying to establish a large planting.  Patience is required but we now have just slightly more than a few growing here.  Their flowering cycle is much too short so we need to take breaks from the work to take in the beauty of these flowers.

Sure Signs Of Spring

As we come to the very last day of March, it's a delight to be out in the garden.  There are certain signs of spring everywhere.  I wondered if this winter would mean the end of many of my perennial garden plants.  Here to my delight is the Virginia bluebells that I planted last fall just emerging.  A spring ephemeral, this plant comes, blooms and disappears  again in the Spring.  I might not look like much, but it's cause fore celebration for me!

This is my Twin leaf plant. It blooms in the spring, but the beautiful butterfly like leaves flutter in the breeze all summer.  Boy was I glad to see it return!

The squirrel corn is coming back strong and it is several weeks ahead of last year.

Soon these lacy green leaves will be joined by dark pink bleeding hearts. It does my heart good to see them again!

Here the desirable plant is the Toothwort.  I will have to decide how much to tidy up around this plant and whether or not I should bury the roots.  John Burroughs called it Crinkleroot and talked about chewing the roots.  To my way of thinking you should have lots of plants before exhibiting that
kind of behavior. I want these to grow!

Last year when I visited Catskill Native Nursery in Kerhonkson, NY, I bought this Heartleaf Alexander.  I had never seen it before,  but it was an adorable plant with heart shaped leaves. With the kind of Winter we had without snow, I was concerned about frost heave.  It looks fabulous! No wonder I brought it home.
 

My pink trout lilies are coming up.  Beautiful speckled leaves and the beginnings of buds give me a thrill.  Ed carefully removed the cage top and teased the dandelions away from my prized plants.  Ed in the garden starting his war on dandelions is also a sure sign of Spring.  It might be my very favorite!

He wins a prize for the removal of the dandelion with its long taproot  intact. What could be better than that?

Shade Garden Plus One

Fringed polygala is the pink flower that has had its spot in the shade garden invaded by other wildflowers.  Tattered evergreen leaves turned purplish by winter's rigors belong to the polygala.  Light bright green leaves mark the location of the invading Canada Mayflower.  Trout lily's brown spots have lightened to grayish white on the darker pointed green leaves.  Clover like three leaves belong to freely self seeding columbine.  Careful weeding is scheduled when the polygala presents its new leaves.  It is the chosen plant and this space belongs only to it.

The number of trillium bulbs we have purchased is shamefully large.  Three new ones just arrived and they will be added nearby.  We want a large display of this native treasure and persist in our efforts to have it here.  They need several years to make themselves at home in our garden and patience on our part is necessary.

This clove currant grows near the shade garden.  When it is in flower, the scent of cloves is carried on the wind for a great distance.  Going about our work, we frequently walk into a sweet smelling drift of  spicy air.  This plant makes this time of year here pleasant beyond description.

Quaker ladies grow as an invasive lawn weed if conditions are to its liking.  Abundant moisture seems to a requirement.  Our several attempts to grow this plant in our dry soil always result in the plant's slow decline.  This specimen self seeded in a crack at the top of the stone wall.  Located on the outer edge of the garden it benefits from frequent supplemental watering.

This bleeding heart is an alien plant here.  Native to another part of the world it is out of place in our wildflower garden.  A longer time in flower and its compact size make this plant a winner.

Maidenhair fern is among Becky's favorites.  Fallen trees in our woods have prevented us from visiting this plant in its natural surroundings here.  This is another native plant that is slow to establish itself following transplanting.  Fearing that it did not survive, we purchased it in two consecutive years.  Both plantings eventually took hold and we now have easy access to this beautiful, delicate, lacy fern.

Jack in the pulpit is a must have because of its unusual structure.  Late frosts have ended the flowering cycle in the past while the plant persists.  Frost is forecast for tonight and covering buckets are now nearby. The red seed clusters are well worth seeing so we will try to keep the frost away from these plants.  Wild or cultivated, alien or Native, plants these days need a little help from their friends to get through Mother Nature's mood swings!