Bloom Day June 2013

After a cool spring with normal rainfall coming at needed times, this June has been spectacular for the health of the garden. I'm sure this week of extended temperatures and warm harvest winds will take a toll on the the looks of the garden. But lets be positive shan't we. Wow, loved this spring.
As always Carol with May Dream Gardens is hosting this monthly bloom day meme.

 Broad view of hell strip along street. Achillea 'Coronation Gold', Salvia farinacea, Echinacea purpurea, Delphinium carolinianum, Veronia altissima, and Nepeta 'Walkers Low'.

 Corner Hell Stip with Nasella tenuisima, Ascelpias tuberosa, Festuca, Echinacea pupurea, Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster', Alchillea m.'Terra Cotta', and Gallardia.

And of course one of my favorites every year Verbascum thapsus, common Mullien.

Natif Princesse

Delphinium carolinianum - Prairie Larkspur

This post title is written in French meaning Native Princess. To me this plant which was recovered from a vacant industrial plot has cast a magical spell on me. Maybe it's because of limiited success with Delphiniums, which have always died under my hands. Maybe because it seduces me with her spring beauty only to fade away for  6 months and reappear the following spring.  Whatever it is, this prairie plant is my favorite this spring. Enjoy.

Wildflower Wednesday May 2012

 The third Wednesday of the month brings us the Wildflower Wednesday meme. Gail at Clay and Limestone shares this day on her blogsite. Go there and share you natives with others who strive to bring more natives into our gardens.

 Callirhoe alcaeoides - Pale Poppy Mallow. I scavenged these beauties above in  a vacant industrial lot next to my work, a former Kansas prairie. Initially they were just a small rosette such as the photo below.

 Rhus typhina 'Bailtiger'-Tiger Eyes Sumac. This variety was originally found as a mutation in a cultivated nursery from R. typhina ‘Laciniata’. Although not native to Kansas this variety grows under the same growing conditions as the native varieties seen throughout our native areas. This plant was added to my hell strip last fall.

 Rumex crispus  L-Curly Dock. Ok, most people would classify it as a weed. (especially one of my neighbors), its the tall plant in the back ground. I wrestling with this one because it really likes this fertile area and has reached 5'. My original reasoning was to use the maroon seed heads as winter interest against the tawny foliage of the tall switchgrass.One probably would have done the trick, but like a glutton I dug three. ha. Found in the same lot.

Future gladness. Present gladness. Delphinium carolinianum  Walt.  subsp. virescens  (Nutt. ) Brooks-Prairie Larkspur. I wrote a blog post about this one last spring. Recovery and Recovery II. And yes I will try to recover some seed. Can't wait for this one to flower. And last but not least....the Milkweed!

Ascelpias incarnta-Swamp Milkweed