WiseAcre Gardens

north of the adirondacks – wildflowers & perennials that survive winters colder than my wife's feet


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Wild Ginger in the Garden

Posted by WiseAcre on Apr 29th, 2009
2009
Apr 29

Here’s one native wildflower that not many people see. The flower in fact hides it’s unique beauty by laying on the ground.

Asarum canadense

Asarum wild ginger

The flower has a regal color that would have pleased any medeval Queen. It’s probably as hairy too, both flower and the paired leaf stems it emerges from are quite fuzzy. Even today Goth girls are warm and fuzzy. Or is that Grunge?

Wild Ginger

Of course I can’t go to the garden without an escort. Itty Bitty Pretty Kitty had to get into the picture. She was such a pest.

Itty Bitty Kitty

Ginger makes a nice ground cover in shady, rich soil that doesn’t go bone dry in the summer. It will tolerate dry conditions – mine do but it hasn’t spread as well as those growing where the soil retains some moisture.

And yes, wild ginger root can be dried and used the same way as the commercial stuff you buy. Just don’t let me catch you digging any of mine up.

Asarum canadense foliage

The above photo was taken at a friend’s garden last year. He has a perfect spot and his patch has been there at least 20 years.

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And now for something completely different

Got Good Air?

In the local news today:
The air here is among the cleanest in the nation when it comes to short term particle pollution. At least according to the American Lung Association in their annual State of the Air report. In fact we got the only ‘A’ ranking in New York State. We might be poor but St. Lawrence County has it’s health. You don’t need to be afraid to take a deep breath around here.

Anyone want to buy some bottled air?

Pussytoes and Bluets in the Lawn

Posted by WiseAcre on Apr 27th, 2009
2009
Apr 27

Without leaving my ‘lawn’ I led a wildflower hunting expedition with my Stinky Buddy and Black Jax. There were Bluets and Pussytoes afoot and we meant to find the tiny prey.

Stinky stalking wild Bluets.

Stinky and wild Bluets

Once finding his prey he had to play with it. The best patch in the yard had no chance once he focused in on it. After wrestling it to the ground it was time for a lay down next to his vanquished foe. He seemed quite satisfied with himself and couldn’t understand why I might have been a little put off. But he did no real harm except ruin my photo shoot so I gave him the big rub he expected. After all those were his Bluets.

Jax pointing out some Pussytoes

Pussytoes

Since it didn’t look or taste like tuna she found a look out spot and watched us waste our time on stupid non-tuna.

Jax cat

Stinky and the Bluets

Bluets – Houstonia caerulea

Bluets

Bluets are one of my favorite flowers. They’re small and simple and will bring any admirer to their kness.

Bluet macro

Field Pussytoes – Antennaria neglecta

Field Pussytoes - Antennaria neglecta

There are other pussytoes around but these can be identified by the single nerve/vein in the slightly narrower leaves.

Field Pussytoes

I love my lawn. It’s more of a wildflower refuge than a safe haven for grass. Now if I could only get my wife (The Mad Mower) to stop cutting the later bloomers down in their prime it would become a carpet of color.

Cats were used in order to show the relative size of the wildflowers. No cats or native plants were hurt during the production of this post. (One Bluet flower was picked but it didn’t hurt) A can of tuna was opened post production for lunch.

Trout Lily

Posted by WiseAcre on Apr 25th, 2009
2009
Apr 25

The Trout Lilies have begun to bloom in my shade garden. This time there was no need to head to the woods to take photos of a native wildflower. I might have been better off taking a hike since my furry pests followed me to the garden and proceeded to get in the way.

Did you say Trout? …and don’t call me Lily

Trout Lily

Black Jax lost interest quickly but Pretty (fat) Parker wanted to make sure there was nothing to eat. Maybe I should have said Adder’s Tongue instead of Trout Lily when my wife asked what those flowers were.

I did manage to get a couple good photos despite the interference. A few lilies were trampled in the process but none were really harmed.

BTW
Pretty Parker has a number of middle names. Fat, dumb, and cuddly are just the 3 most used. Notice her big eyes – little head and the bear cat rug body.

This is a native that came to my garden on it’s own. The surrounding woods are filled with them and they’ve found my garden to be a home away from home.

   Pretty Parker

Cat interference

Erythronium americanum

Trout Lily Flower

Anyone who placed money on Trout Lily over Marsh Marigold to be the first to bloom can go to their bookie now to collect the winnings. I’m out big time, I got conned by the budding Marsh dwellers. I really believed they were in the lead.

Trout Lily

I really like this plant and not only because it was a work free addition to my garden. How can I not like the mottled leaves and the freckled nodding flower that is one of the first spring bloomers in the yard. A ephemeral woodland plant it will all too soon go dormant for the summer. But by then there will be others to drool over.

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