Searching For Wild Pinxter

At this time of the year, garden work demands more of our time time than there are hours in a day.  Since the oppressive heat wave makes outside work impossible for us each afternoon, riding around in an air conditioned car seemed the better choice.  We have known about this location for pinxter growing wild for years but seldom visited here during the time of the flowers.  This land is owned by a former student but we never sought permission to take plants here.  There is something wrong in our minds about taking protected plants from the wild even with the landowner's permission.  Our need to uphold the supposed standards of a teacher in front of students made seeking permission to dig here impossible.  The view from the road is fabulous.  Seeing these plants made our day special.

As great as these pictures are, we were shocked to find that the road crew had severely impacted this once huge area of pinxter plants.  What had been a shallow roadside perpetually wet drainage area had been transformed with the digging of a deep wide ditch with steep sides.  This artificial and unnecessary ditch could not be safely crossed to get a close up view of the plants.  Too wide to leap across and no footholds available to descend into the ditch, we were forced to view these plants from road's edge.  Countless pinxter plants were destroyed during the digging of this ditch.  What had been a shallow wet area is now well drained and dry.

After spending many pleasant moments taking in the splendor of this native treasure, we traveled to a nearby village to visit the site where we did take wild plants.  We found that this area, adjacent to a village street, had been sheared of all brushy growth.  No trace of pinxter bushes could now be found in this area.  Actually, that made us feel better about taking plants from the wild.  The bushes that we took are alive and well at their new home.  Had we left then where they were growing, they would now be wood chips rotting alongside of the street.

In view of our rather extreme lack of recent rainfall, we have added our pinxters to the list of plants that get a sprinkling can of water every other day.  Their floral display is impressive and we carry water to them in the hope that they will set viable seed.  Taking plants from the wild can bring with it the responsibility to provide them with complete care.  They respond to a fresh drink by releasing a sweet cloud of inviting scent.

A Chance Of Rain

For the next few days we have a chance of rain in the form of thunderstorms. Plants need water to grow.  A good all day soaking rain would be better, but we will take what we get and be glad!  For now Ed waters the plants  with his watering can. Plants waiting in pots to be planted need to be watered often.  Plants in the garden get some water this way too.  It is not enough, but it is something.

Ed's pinxter bush was one of the lucky plants to get sprinkled.  It is easy to see why.  The plant is covered with beautiful pink buds.  This is one case where rain for its Grand Opening would be the best we could hope for. Chances are either way the Pinxter  will get wet tomorrow!

Second Snake of the Season

It is common here for the first snake sighting of the season to be announced with a piercing scream when Becky nearly steps on a wild wiggler.  That was not the case today.  An Eastern Milksnake was soaking up some warmth from the sun while stretched out across the driveway.  One of their defensive moves is to remain motionless but that is not effective when exposed.  After a good long look, I backed the tractor  away so that I could drive around the snake.  When I returned with the camera the snake was long gone.

Another favorite place to gain some heat from the sun is under my wheelbarrows.  Sure enough when the wheelbarrow was raised a snake was exposed.  The bale of old hay under the stored wheelbarrow is there for the snakes.  Mice and voles are high on the list of food for these snakes so we encourage their presence.  Later in the day I needed my wheelbarrow and found two milksnakes under it.  This time one showed me its vibrating tail.  Impressive but not scary, I found the display some what comical since these snakes pose no threat to people.

Trout lily, Erthronium americanum, commonly occurs here as single leafed nonflowering plants.  This double leafed plant flowered but no flower or seed capsule is present.  I have always suspected that the wild turkeys were eating the flowers.  The flower that opened here was clearly eaten.

When I dug this pinxter azalea, Rhododendron nudiflorum, from the wild, it was replanted in the woods rather than at the edge of the woods.  Located with insufficient light it never flowered.  It would have been easier on the plant if I had relocated it before leaf out but I always seem to be a little late.  The tool of choice for tasks like this is a five foot steel pry bar.  If the plant is levered out with a sizable dirt ball, the move will likely be successful.

A good sized clump of forest soil is coming with the plant.  A pail of forest soil was also taken to line the planting hole.  Overnight rain added to what we hope will be a successful move.