This is my Foliage Followup post which follows Garden Bloggers Bloom Day every month. Pam @ Digging hosts this flying foliage extravaganza.
One of my design goals this season was to improve winter interest in the garden. I read somewhere that designing for winter interest is the most important garden design criteria. Another goal is to create a native plant enriched prairie garden near the street frontage, alias: hellstrip. I keep a keen eye out for winter interest in the surrounding prairies and determined that Rumex crispus-curly dock's rusty seed heads would be a bold addition to the winter garden. I found some growing in my favorite vacant industrial lot and transplanted four groupings.
They survived the winter and begain to grow in the spring. Looks like a weed doesn't it? Plantain even. This was taken April 12.
One of my design goals this season was to improve winter interest in the garden. I read somewhere that designing for winter interest is the most important garden design criteria. Another goal is to create a native plant enriched prairie garden near the street frontage, alias: hellstrip. I keep a keen eye out for winter interest in the surrounding prairies and determined that Rumex crispus-curly dock's rusty seed heads would be a bold addition to the winter garden. I found some growing in my favorite vacant industrial lot and transplanted four groupings.
They survived the winter and begain to grow in the spring. Looks like a weed doesn't it? Plantain even. This was taken April 12.
Broader view. Thats the Rumex on the right side of the Yucca.
On May 23 my wife was telling me some weed in the garden is giving her allergies a fit while she spied this ugly(her term) weed.
June 12 the plant is getting huge. See it on the right?
Now things were getting controversial. My neighbors were giving me concerning looks while passing by. The curly dock and the mullien were causing quite a stir.
Add to this grouping a few Vernonia gigantea-Tall Ironweed and we got a prairie weed rodeo going on! At this point, with the Rumex beginning to flop over I decided to do a Tracy DiSabato Aust. That is experiment whacking one in half to experiment to control height. So far so good. At this time a rancher who lives in the hood, replied that one (pointing to the dock) is not a "good one". Whoops. Two days later with Panicum, Achillea, Echinacea, and Veronia. It's beginning to grow on me.
June 19.
June 22nd powdery mildew is taking away the leaves.
June 29 the spendor.
In closure, July 13th.
What's your opinion weed or worthy?
