WiseAcre Gardens

As I approached the river I found myself surrounded by the alien invaders. Thousands of them had colonized the banks of the Grasse River downstream of Morley.

Dame’s Rocket – Hesperis matronalis

Dame’s Rocket in the woods

As the opposite side of the river came into view it became clear that the Dame’s Rocket had claimed that territory too.

What wasn’t clear was the air. A smokey haze had settled over the area.

Smoke on the water – Fire in Quebec. The smoke has drifted about 250 miles south, southwest to here from fires burning through the Wemotachi First Nation lands in central Quebec. The smoke is predicted to drift as far away as Massachusetts and New Hampshire as the fires continue to burn.

I also managed to get one shot off at what looks to be another alien mutant. It’s often called a Hummingbird Moth but I prefer to call it a Lobster Bee since my wife ‘named’ it such when she excitedly called me to look at our very first sighting of one 30 some years ago.

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth – Hemaris thysbe

Getting a photo of a Lobster Bee is tough, they don’t hold still for a second. Like their namesake the Hummingbird they don’t actually land and dart from one flower to the next, hovering for only the briefest time at each. I was so involved chasing that moth around I forgot to get any flower photos of the Dame’s Rocket. Since it’s raining today I figured a pic from last year would be appropriate to use.

It looks like Phlox but don’t let it fool ya. The leaves are opposite and the long seed pods are common among it’s Mustard Family relatives. You’ll also end up short if you start pulling Dame’s Rocket flower petals with ‘She Loves Me’ since there are only 4 instead of Phlox’s 5. So if you’re looking for love stay away from Dame’s Rocket and go look for something odd.

First the flower then the bug.

Blue Eyed Grass – Sisyrinchium mucronatum

The plant looks like grass but a closer look reveals the Iris Family lineage. Blue eyed grass can be found in fields and meadows and often growing along roadsides. Actually you find it where you find it. In this case I found only one but there it was in a shady lane. This is a species of blue eyed grass with NO branched stems. One clue to the identity – the leaves are much shorter than the flower stem.

Bug Time

Six-spotted Green Tiger Beetle – Cicindela sexguttata

This ground beetle is seldom found far from the woods. It’s color can be bluish and the spots may be missing but it’s supposed to be hard to confuse this beetle with any others.

Don’t you just hate it when that expensive metallic paint job starts to flake?

click for larger image

A bumble bee was taking advantage of some bugleweed flowers.

Ajuga Reptans ‘Caitlin’s Giant

I tried out this variety last year. It wintered over nicely and is already sending out runners. I’m going to get more. It can be invasive but isn’t that what you want when planting a ground cover? Besides, bugleweed is shallow rooted and easy enough to control. That is unless you wait until it’s established in the lawn and too late.

Here’s the bumble I promised

…and now I’ll leave you with some fungus.

Dryad Saddle – Polyporus squamosus

AKA – Pheasant’s-back Polypore.
This mushroom grows from deciduous wood, both living and dead. In my experience – mostly dead. It is edible but older specimens are supposedly too tough to eat. Another field guide states the tender edges of the caps can be pickled, sauteed or fried. I prefer mine photographed.

They weren’t kidding when they named it Polyporus.

Dryad Saddles are a reminder to start looking for Morels. Lilacs beginning to bloom + Dryad Saddles = Morel Season. I won’t eat those either but have friends that will.