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12.00 Field Bindweed, Convolvulus Bindweed is not a plant most want in a garden, native or otherwise. Colt’s Foot Colt’s Foot, I think. A tiny dandelion look-a-like. Cute little bug too. The pink grasses are quite pretty. Dandelion Buttercup Ranunculus spp. Buttercup tidbit. Buttercups generally inhabit moist areas and can be poisonous to animals. All animals are susceptible to buttercup poisoning, generally and most often by the tall buttercup (Ranunculus acris L.), but cows are most often poisoned. Dried buttercups, however, are not poisonous, so buttercup laden hay can be fed without fear of poisoning the farm critters. I find this interesting because buttercups are a flower kid’s love to pick. I love rhododendrons with their gorgeous showy flowers, cool looking evergreen foliage. They fit right in my woodland garden appreciating the morning sun and afternoon shade. They let you know when it is too cold for their liking by curling up their leaves. Some have a soft and fuzzy tomentum on the undersides of the leaves, like my yakushimanum.   Rhodos have their share of problems like other plants and recently I had to figure out why my yaku 'Ken Janek' was dying. Unfortunately I did not take any before pictures ( I was too distraught) to help with the description. Basically the rhodo was dying stem by stem. Quite the shame as they all had flower buds growing on them. What to do?   Removed stems   I dug 'Ken' up. Not the easiest job in the world. This rhodo is not big but digging it up, leaves and flower buds intact, plus root ball, well, I am sure some of you have been in my place. It seemed OK. I could not find disease, or pests or anything obvious. So I tried opening up some of the root ball and then replanted it.   A couple of weeks and 'Ken' did not show any change. In fact there was no response to my digging it up and cutting it open a bit. No shock, no wilt, nothing. It just kept dying.   That's not right I thought. So I dug 'Ken' up again - much easier this time. This time my eyes actually saw what was wrong and I think it has something to do with the way the growers grow the plants. The root ball was actually a very dense mat of peat and whatever other growing medium they use. I realized that there were no visible live roots outside that mass. The roots were not able to get through and into my lovely acid soil. So with nothing left to lose I grabbed our ancient machete and started hacking off pieces of the root ball around the top and sides. When I found root I cut a piece off to see if it was live root or not. If not, I kept hacking.   In the end I lost about half of the original plant. After I replanted 'Ken' he wilted for a for a few days and I took that as a good sign. A week later and the rhodo is showing some colour on one of the buds which means it may actually bloom.     Today, still a bit wilted     Hope Busy busy busy. Most of it in my garden which is a very good thing. For now let's catch up on what has been blooming and now close to finishing.     First, two new additions to the garden. This one is R. 'Fascination' a Yakushimanum. It is very similar to Ken Janek (also in the garden) but hey, I like it.     The second is Lemon Lights azalea. This is my first azalea. I have always admired the flowers especially as they bloom so early, but never sure about not being evergreen. I am not much of a stick admirer but I will have to get over that. Here's another photo of the flowers:     Amazing colour!       Here's a mellower yellow with rosa hugonis 'Father Hugo'. I have had this species rose for four years now and this year it rewarded me with close to one hundred blooms. This type of rose is an awkward fit in the garden. It is like a teenager, all limbs, flailing about. However each of those limbs is covered with a dozen or so blooms all the way along each stem. Magnificent.     Blue eyed grass - a species native to our area   I always look forward to the return of the Blue eyed grasses. They are found all over North America and they all are easily recognizable. Notice the difference in the shape of the petals between the one on top and the photos below. I recently found out that there is a naturally pink flowering blue eyed grass.   Blue eyed grass 'Lucerne'     Last summer our master gardener group went on a tour of the nurseries at Sheridan Gardens in Georgetown, Ontario. While at their gift shop, oops I mean Garden Center, I and a friend found the native climbing honeysuckle sempervirens. Well we both certainly hoped it was so, as we both (it turned out) coveted and had been searching for the elusive sempervirens for years. I believe I can say with certainty and pride that we are the proud owners of this gorgeous plant. (If I am wrong please let me down gently)   sigh Earlier this month my master gardener group had a tour of the Centennial Rose Garden at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton. The reason behind our visit was to learn about the changes the gardens have made or had to make since the Ontario pesticide ban in 2009. Through consultation with other large gardens they have returned to 'heritage' care techniques, or in other words, organic practices. Not surprisingly, this is not as easy a feat to accomplish with gardens of its size and unfortunately a lack of funds to support their endeavors in order to present the gardens at the level of quality for a botanic garden.   Climber 'Alchymist' The main problem they deal with in the rose garden is black spot. Anyone who grows roses knows this problem well. How do you create beautiful beds of let's say hybrid teas when all their bottom leaves are turning yellow and falling off? Not a pretty sight. Keeping the beds clean looking is presently more of a priority than the actual prevention of the problem especially during rose season.   Climber 'Roberta Bondar'   The problem of black spot is the result of the way they prepared the beds for the winter. Each rose bed was covered with a plastic sheet of polyfoam and then trenched in. Even the climbing roses received the same practice being removed from their supports, laid on the ground and covered in polyfoam. Black spot, weeds and mice thrived under the plastic and after years of following this practice the soil is completely infected with the fungus. To add to this, most rose beds are grown just as that, rose beds. This creates a monoculture in which pests and diseases thrive.   Parkdirektor Riggers   In the last few years there have been changes including planting roses that are hardier for our zone, growing more shrub roses like rugosas which are relatively trouble free, and growing more disease resistant varieties such as the 'Knockout ' roses. They are also playing with some new mixed plantings such as roses, clematis and grasses.   Captain Samuel Holland   There is still a lot of work required to bring the Centennial Rose Garden up to the level it should be and one day they will achieve that. For now they are looking at ways to replace all the soil in each bed, a huge goal and very costly endeavor. In the meantime the rose gardens are still a lovely place to wander through with camera in hand and nose at the ready  www.newfarmeurmiya.wordpress.com   www.newfarme.blogfa.com   sabzine_ebtekar@yahoo.com             www.newfarme.blogfa.com   sabzine_ebtekar@yahoo.com farajzadeh@mail.ru   alireza farajzadeh بهترين روش براي درمان و تسكين دردهاي ناشي از ميخچه يا پينه كف دست يا كف پا مي‌شناسند. This is also a view looking Northwest into Canada, across the Niagara River. Here I thought the water was a pretty scene, but seriously, it was hard to point the camera down and not up today. So let’s keep walking. This is how I walk to the Falls, past all the native blooming plants. It is hard not to think they are more than just weeds. Pollinators come in all types and sizes and make every weed a wildflower. The insect above might be a Green Metallic Bee, Agapostemon sp., rather than a fly. I believe because the antennae are longer than would be found in a fly. This is not a good photo, because it does not show a profile view which would help in identification. Yarrow Achillea millefolium Walking along the gorge towards Niagara Falls, yields many lovely wildflowers, but by the time I return with photos, I often don’t have enough info in them to properly identify the plant. Like above, I did not take the photo including the leaves, which are mandatory in proper plant ID. Yarrow leaves are pretty distinctive. Yarrow tidbit. Did you know the entire yarrow plant, excepting the roots, can be used medicinally. I learned this from a seminar last year on native plants given by a Native American woman, knowledgeable in herbs and native plants. She said the plant, fresh or dried can be taken internally or applied externally, depending on the ailment. Here are some of the ailments it is purported to benefit. It reduces fever, and helps relieve flu and colds. Its bitter tonic properties relieve stomach-ache, diarrhea, cramping, as well as sore throats and gum irritation. It supposedly relieves menstrual pain. Externally, it stops bleeding, and helps to prevent infection of topical cuts. Also it is used as a hemorrhoids treatment. This information has been passed down though generations of Native American healers. You have to wonder if they really work. I will write more on this later, or if you have that burning desire to know how it is concocted, I may give you the lowdown in the comments. Just ask. It really is interesting. Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare Here’s a tidbit on the Oxeye Daisy. Daisies have been reported to be INVASIVE in seven national parks, including the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. How you ask? They spread by underground roots and by over active seed production. The seeds float and find their way to river banks. They form dense colonies to replace up to half the grasses in pastures, additionally, they have been found to host several viral diseases affecting crops. Tidbit on the Pollinator It is Eristalis tenax, a Syrphid Fly – Common name, Drone Fly Some hoverflies’ larvae are important predators of soft-bodied prey like aphids and thrips, much to rose growers delight. Many Syrphids, like the Drone Fly above, are important pollinators, and are considered beneficial insects. Gardeners can plant flowers that attract them like; Alyssum, Iberis umbellata, statice, chamomile, parsley, and yarrow. The list is actually longer, since this Flower Fly gets its generalized common name because it likes just about any flower, native or not. The poor but popular daisy is now being maligned and put on the noxious weed list in many states and Canadian provinces. Want to know which states? Ask in the comments and I will list them. Bunny by the native garden at the Falls. Looks like he is headed for the Coneflower and ready to muscle out the groundhog for a tasty meal. Groundhogs like this plant. I always have the wrong lens on when I see bunnies, I had to enlarge him. Many grow the daisy, me included, but a better native replacement is Purple Coneflower, Black-Eyed Susan, or Blanket Flower, Gaillardia araistata. Gaillardia, Blanketflower I am not very adept at naming the wildflowers, and should get a handbook to carry along, but some I do know pretty well. I really like the wildflowers, but not all wildflowers are natives. Just like not all wildflowers are weeds either. So many have similar form and make identification difficult, except to those that really are into indigenous native plants. Any of you that are knowledgeable on native plants, please leave the names of the plants I am not sure of, it will be most appreciated, like Patty at Gardening Pomona, who is very knowledgeable and was quite helpful. Thistle The main reason for liking native plants for me has to do with the pollinators. The flowers themselves are usually quite small in comparison to the hybrids that originated from them. Often, because of selective breeding, the use to pollinators has been compromised. The little fly above is another bee and wasp imitator from the family Syrphidae. It is a Hoverfly, Syrphus forvus, that looks like a wasp but it is not dangerous. It only scares the birds, even as tiny as it is. I actually have some good photos of this insect that you will see in a later post where I was actually focusing on the tiny fly, not the flower in those images. I find so many more and varied insects when in the fields and pastures. My yard gets a variety of insects, and does have what many consider native plants, but it is still nowhere the quantity and variety of a trip to the field or farm. To see my opinion on native plants and home gardens, see the post The Native Melting Pot of Plants, What Goes?. It is a very long, researched post with many supporting links that is much more than a personal opinion post. Carpenter Bee Pincushion Flower Salvia x sylvestris ‘Snow Hill’, Meadow Sage The above three images are from my garden. I see bees like these in the fields far more often. Red Clover Trifolium pratense This field above was filled with clover. And, teeming with bees. I was not here to photograph the insects, but get clean shots of the small blooms. I do not know what this one will be when it blooms, but the form was interesting. It looks like the bud captured another plant’s airborne seed. Hairy Beardtongue Penstemon hirsutus Any of these smaller images get larger with a click if you need to see them for identification purpose. Any that I am not sure of and you are, please let me know in the comments. Agrimony, I believe Wild Rosa blanda Bird’s Foot Trefoil Bird’s Nest Trefoil Bird’s-foot trefoil a creeping invasive I believe. A pretty little flower. Tidbit: It is a non-bloating legume that contains a condensed tannin, an anti-bloating control. So it is good for cattle to eat. Common Cinquefoil Potentilla simplex Cute little plant, but I am not sure what it is. Maybe Hawksbeard (Asteracea), like My Green Patch identified. I did look up Hawksbeard, but I could not find them grouped like this on the end of the stem, so I was unsure. The plant is maybe a foot tall. Daisy Bellis perennis As identified correctly by Island Threads. Black Medic Orange Skipper     A wild rose because of the leaves, or Hackberry because of the flowers? See, I need a guide book. This is a small tree or large shrub. It is difficult to tell what form it will become. The leaves are not typical of Hackberry and the cluster is not typical of wild roses. Philadephus is out too. Hum. This Spiraea was in the bed of native plants at the Discovery Center. The building and grounds are getting renovated. I do believe they are keeping the native gardens with all the new construction. Geranium maculatum These geraniums were also in the native bed, but plenty was seen along the trails. I had no idea what this flower is called, but the Queen of Seaford identified it as Erysimum, Wallflower. The privet was growing wild along the Niagara trail. Even when I try to avoid the insects, one slips in on the shot. See the little critter? Not sure of above either, but it looked like a type of Geum. Field Bindweed, Convolvulus Bindweed is not a plant most want in a garden, native or otherwise. Colt’s Foot Colt’s Foot, I think. A tiny dandelion look-a-like. Cute little bug too. The pink grasses are quite pretty. Dandelion Buttercup Ranunculus spp. Buttercup tidbit. Buttercups generally inhabit moist areas and can be poisonous to animals. All animals are susceptible to buttercup poisoning, generally and most often by the tall buttercup (Ranunculus acris L.), but cows are most often poisoned. Dried buttercups, however, are not poisonous, so buttercup laden hay can be fed without fear of poisoning the farm critters. I find this interesting because buttercups are a flower kid’s love to pick. This is also a view looking Northwest into Canada, across the Niagara River. Here I thought the water was a pretty scene, but seriously, it was hard to point the camera down and not up today.   Me and My Fast Moving Fingers I left a comment on a blog the other day that generated a long, but gentlemanly response to follow. My comment was pretty vague, yet one sentence stood out. I suggested that we leave meadows where they belong and not bring them into urban neighborhoods. Also, I implied that we think about our design choices and make informative choices based on the character of a neighborhood. I proposed that what a front yard meadow may be is just a well designed facsimile. And my reasoning is based on the ability of an urban front yard to be a working ecosystem and habitat. The images to follow are from my front bed through 2011, which if you remember from a previous post, is a holding bed at this point until the Concolor can be removed. And an update on that. The nurseryman and farm owner I always talk about is coming to dig it up for resale. He was impressed with how shapely I kept it, so it gets a new home instead of being an indoor Christmas tree. Plus, there are meadow images from the farm. On with the Meadow Story The question becomes, are we really talking about the same thing? It was a post essentially imagining a front meadow rather than a front lawn. My observation – is it really a meadow we are talking about or a carefully selected group of common perennials and ornamental grasses just substituting for turf grass? By the images shown and books cited on the blog, I have a meadow in my front yard, even though I would never characterize it as such. There was a beautiful yard shown filled with Allium and iris for instance, very similar to my own front planting, and it was noted as a meadow. I certainly would not question that beauty in my neighborhood, but it did not read meadow to me. Again, my opinion. Meadow in a Can Another point the author made was that I may be used to meadows in a can as bad examples. But, as a designer, commercial meadows planted have very specific combination of both annual and perennial seeds and are pretty expensive to purchase. Most mixes include self-sowing species and annuals to kick-start the meadow. They come in burlap or heavy brown paper bags not cans. Where we spec these meadows is often in open areas to avoid planting turf grass or around intentionally excavated drainage basins and ponds. The mix changes the deeper you plant into the catchment. These gardens come up the following year in all their beautiful flowering glory with gorgeous Spring and Fall showings. I never thought to photograph them at the commercial sites, but I will next time I am in the area to show you these pretty turf grass replacements. Why they are planted is as much for the function and economics of the upkeep (less mowing) as the visual and environmental concerns of the designer and owner. Environmental and functional also includes erosion control. There is also a slope on these drainage ponds. This sloped area was planted with wildflowers many years ago and now it has regenerated into what the area dictates. Notice in the images, the meadows are surrounded by, or neighbor next to forested areas. The natural meadows include a variety of pretty indigenous wildflowers and grasses. The mixes include plants like New England Aster, baby’s breath, Black-eyed Susan, Purple Coneflower, Shasta Daisies, foxgloves, corn poppies, Gaillardia, wallflowers, penstemons, evening primrose, among many other pretty flowers. My garden has seven of these planted. But what is different, is I planted plants, not seed and the flowers did not have to out compete to reach maturity. But, when doing commercial jobs with lots of acreage, the meadows look like they belong there even though they are serving a very functional, economic and aesthetic purpose. My ‘Meadow’ In my garden, I have asters, bee balm, Leucanthemum, Echinacea, Rudbeckia, lavender, iris, penstemon, Veronica, grasses, Salvia and much more for my front ‘meadow-like’ beds. Above is the garden in late spring, and below from late August. The beds start off with bulbs and bloom all the way to the first snowfall. Image from Today Few of my selections are native to New York in the varieties I have planted, and in my opinion, meadows consist of naturally occurring indigenous plant species. In fact, the dominant plants of meadows are native, rather than the cultivated. They are often interspersed with very common species found in neighboring habitats. Farm Meadows are Where It’s At! On the farm, the meadows get interspersed with cultivated varieties of perennials which self-seed by bird or air. The black-eyed Susan were not planted in the above image. This is way out on the farm, not near the potted perennial plants waiting to go to job sites. Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’ in my garden Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’ So many Carex on the USDA Plants NYS list, but not this one. Also in my garden. And to further the point, one grass is not the same as another to caterpillars. The caterpillars prefer the native farm flowers and grasses, and that is one reason why we have hybrids. Miscanthus sinensis My Zebra grass is unlikely a food source, since I never saw a caterpillar on it. Scabiosa, dandelions, Asclepias, Achillea, nettles, clovers, vetches plantains, docks, knapweed, thistles, vetches, and the list continues for plants the insects adore. Safe to Assume? You can go to USDA Plants Database and look for your state to check for natives in your area. Here is the list for New York. The list includes those desired for gardens also, but check the varieties. I am guessing there are databases in your countries too if you are not a US resident. Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ People everywhere assume if you grow, say a Monarda, that it will automatically be a native if some originally were growing in your locale. That is an important factor too. When you select a plant in the database, make sure to get the distribution map and pinpoint it more precisely. Monarda covers NYS so not much of a problem. Petite Wonder, the little guy bottom left, with Petite Delight Monarda. But there is Monarda didyma ‘Petite Wonder’ and ‘Petite Delight’ in my garden. Both have a warning for Unauthorized Propagation Prohibited. Do you think this nine-inch tall Monarda is a native? Well read on. As much of ‘ turn your grass into native plants’ insanity that is out there with proponents from both sides exceedingly verbal, I never wanted to jump on the band wagon and get in the middle of this argument. I do have personal and professional opinion on this subject and they are not always in agreement. Easy Peezy? My work involves, at times, bidding State Park jobs that require native plantings and I have lists of native plants from which to choose. No problem, easy peezy, the choice is made by NYS. And many of the choices for the park, you would not want in your front landscape. They would just not be suitable. But when a client insists on natives only, this is where it becomes foggy, because, I am not sure there is a definitive answer on what is actually a native species indigenous to our area. It is hard enough trying to fulfill State planting requirements, let alone those for someone’s front yard. I do not design small jobs normally, so it is unlikely I would be called for an urban front yard, but again, how do you differentiate what is actually native? Is a Native Really a Native? To me this debate seems more a matter of someone’s opinion than anything else. It just might be the insect’s opinion that really matters, because a sterile variety of a plant does not contribute to the ecosystem. Many more plants are being developed to be sterile for consumer’s convenience. Image from Today What so many books out there call native plants, you may not find on lists put out by each state. The genus and species might be correct, but through hybridization, the plant becomes unacceptable. So where does that leave the homeowner going to Home Depot or any other big box store for plants? Even most nurseries are not versed enough in native planting. Today is a lovely warm day. The kind that forces you out of doors just because it's here. What a wonderful change from the cold damp days we've been enduring of late. While I have been out in the garden cleaning up , and culling garlic mustard and just checking things out and making more revisions of revisions of plans, today was worthy of some photos. I took this photo of a Comma butterfly (or so I believe) from my bedroom and I am glad I did as it flew away once I got within 10 feet of it. I am seeing a lot more butterflies in my gardens in the past few years and I like to think I had something to do with it. I have been planting native species in the back and trying to select ones that provide shelter or food for the animals. Of course this has its problems too but that is for another post. The Red Admiral butterfly has never been a stranger to the garden, but this year seems to be a banner year as there are many more of them than I have ever seen. Apparently I am not alone is observing the increased numbers as they actually made the news a few weeks ago.   Beautiful and delicate Anemonella thalictroides never disappoint in the spring. Their leaves resemble those of the columbine. There is a double form which is pretty too but I have yet to find one.     No one can beat Mother Nature for inspiring form and structure. Solomon seal is wondrous to watch unfold its layers.     The Great White Trillium is Ontario's provincial flower. It grows in large numbers like a wave of white froth on the forest floor. Count yourself lucky if you get to see that marvel.     Another Solomon seal but this is the European variegated form. Gorgeous red stalks push themselves out of the soil and eventually turn green, but you can see the tint of red near the flower bud in this photo.     Redbud trees have become very popular in my neighborhood and it is easy to see why. Who would turn down this shock of pink in early spring.     The red buds before they open. The tree flowers on old wood, so don't do any major pruning if you don't have to.     My first Jack in the Pulpit or Arisaema triphyllum to flower in the garden. Another architectural wonder wouldn't you say? This family has all kinds of cool looking species but this one is native to North America.     False Solomon seal shares many of its structural qualities with its big brother but it follows its own path with a very different flower. While Solomon seal has little bells of flowers that hang down from the underside of the main stalk, Maianthemum racemosum creates a fluffy puff of flowers similar to that of astilbe.       And finally the unfurling fronds of the Ostrich ferm. These ferns are edible and in our neck of the woods are called Fiddleheads (and especially out in the Maritimes) and you can certainly see why they got that name. Lightly steamed with butter, yum. A number of years ago a friend gave me a a fairly large piece of Tradescantia virginiana, one of species spiderworts. It was the usual green leaved plant with lovely deep purple flowers. It was a no nonsense plant in my garden and I looked forward to its arrival every spring. Then last summer it got lost with all the commotion and destruction of the backyard renovation and most likely died when the bobcat (the machine) was brought in to level the ground.   It was on my list to replace until I saw its cousin Sweet Kate. I have seen Kate (Tradescantia x andersoniana "Sweet Kate") a number of times in magazines and on the web but I never thought much of her. It was the leaves. They are not green they are chartreuse. Purple with lime. I just did not think much about her. Then a sighting at a plant sale, from a distance no less. The chartreuse was what caught my eye. Smitten.   Brought her home and hardened her off for four days (sweet tender Kate). Now she is planted in a new bed with others awaiting a permanent situation. With all the dark greens surrounding her in my shady garden Kate shines through. Transplanted without a problem. The rabbits have not tried to touch her yet. Sweet Kate welcome home.   I heard the name of Pussytoes before I ever saw a picture of the plant. I was looking into possible native plants for the garden and came across this odd and curious name. Then one day the reverse happened and I found a photo of this curious plant and eventually read that it is called Pussytoes. There is no need to explain its name. Its full name is Antennaria howellii Greene ssp. canadensis (Greene) Bayer or Canadian pussytoes. Quite the mouthful. This one prefers the eastern side of the country.   It tends to prefer rocky or open areas and therefore is suitable to rock gardens or perhaps scree gardens. I am hoping it will survive in a sunny dryish location along with some ferns and wild ginger. I know, I know, it doesn't sound very scree-ish but it's the best I can do. Apparently there is a pink form. Ooooh! So let’s keep walking. This is how I walk to the Falls, past all the native blooming plants. It is hard not to think they are more than just weeds. Pollinators come in all types and sizes and make every weed a wildflower. The insect above might be a Green Metallic Bee, Agapostemon sp., rather than a fly. I believe because the antennae are longer than would be found in a fly. This is not a good photo, because it does not show a profile view which would help in identification. Yarrow Achillea millefolium Walking along the gorge towards Niagara Falls, yields many lovely wildflowers, but by the time I return with photos, I often don’t have enough info in them to properly identify the plant. Like above, I did not take the photo including the leaves, which are mandatory in proper plant ID. Yarrow leaves are pretty distinctive. Yarrow tidbit. Did you know the entire yarrow plant, excepting the roots, can be used medicinally. I learned this from a seminar last year on native plants given by a Native American woman, knowledgeable in herbs and native plants. She said the plant, fresh or dried can be taken internally or applied externally, depending on the ailment. Here are some of the ailments it is purported to benefit. It reduces fever, and helps relieve flu and colds. Its bitter tonic properties relieve stomach-ache, diarrhea, cramping, as well as sore throats and gum irritation. It supposedly relieves menstrual pain. Externally, it stops bleeding, and helps to prevent infection of topical cuts. Also it is used as a hemorrhoids treatment. This information has been passed down though generations of Native American healers. You have to wonder if they really work. I will write more on this later, or if you have that burning desire to know how it is concocted, I may give you the lowdown in the comments. Just ask. It really is interesting. Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare Here’s a tidbit on the Oxeye Daisy. Daisies have been reported to be INVASIVE in seven national parks, including the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. How you ask? They spread by underground roots and by over active seed production. The seeds float and find their way to river banks. They form dense colonies to replace up to half the grasses in pastures, additionally, they have been found to host several viral diseases affecting crops. Tidbit on the Pollinator It is Eristalis tenax, a Syrphid Fly – Common name, Drone Fly Some hoverflies’ larvae are important predators of soft-bodied prey like aphids and thrips, much to rose growers delight. Many Syrphids, like the Drone Fly above, are important pollinators, and are considered beneficial insects. Gardeners can plant flowers that attract them like; Alyssum, Iberis umbellata, statice, chamomile, parsley, and yarrow. The list is actually longer, since this Flower Fly gets its generalized common name because it likes just about any flower, native or not. The poor but popular daisy is now being maligned and put on the noxious weed list in many states and Canadian provinces. Want to know which states? Ask in the comments and I will list them. Bunny by the native garden at the Falls. Looks like he is headed for the Coneflower and ready to muscle out the groundhog for a tasty meal. Groundhogs like this plant. I always have the wrong lens on when I see bunnies, I had to enlarge him. Many grow the daisy, me included, but a better native replacement is Purple Coneflower, Black-Eyed Susan, or Blanket Flower, Gaillardia araistata. Gaillardia, Blanketflower I am not very adept at naming the wildflowers, and should get a handbook to carry along, but some I do know pretty well. I really like the wildflowers, but not all wildflowers are natives. Just like not all wildflowers are weeds either. So many have similar form and make identification difficult, except to those that really are into indigenous native plants. Any of you that are knowledgeable on native plants, please leave the names of the plants I am not sure of, it will be most appreciated, like Patty at Gardening Pomona, who is very knowledgeable and was quite helpful. Thistle The main reason for liking native plants for me has to do with the pollinators. The flowers themselves are usually quite small in comparison to the hybrids that originated from them. Often, because of selective breeding, the use to pollinators has been compromised. The little fly above is another bee and wasp imitator from the family Syrphidae. It is a Hoverfly, Syrphus forvus, that looks like a wasp but it is not dangerous. It only scares the birds, even as tiny as it is. I actually have some good photos of this insect that you will see in a later post where I was actually focusing on the tiny fly, not the flower in those images. I find so many more and varied insects when in the fields and pastures. My yard gets a variety of insects, and does have what many consider native plants, but it is still nowhere the quantity and variety of a trip to the field or farm. To see my opinion on native plants and home gardens, see the post The Native Melting Pot of Plants, What Goes?. It is a very long, researched post with many supporting links that is much more than a personal opinion post. Carpenter Bee Pincushion Flower Salvia x sylvestris ‘Snow Hill’, Meadow Sage The above three images are from my garden. I see bees like these in the fields far more often. Red Clover Trifolium pratense This field above was filled with clover. And, teeming with bees. I was not here to photograph the insects, but get clean shots of the small blooms. I do not know what this one will be when it blooms, but the form was interesting. It looks like the bud captured another plant’s airborne seed. Hairy Beardtongue Penstemon hirsutus Any of these smaller images get larger with a click if you need to see them for identification purpose. Any that I am not sure of and you are, please let me know in the comments. Agrimony, I believe Wild Rosa blanda Bird’s Foot Trefoil Bird’s Nest Trefoil Bird’s-foot trefoil a creeping invasive I believe. A pretty little flower. Tidbit: It is a non-bloating legume that contains a condensed tannin, an anti-bloating control. So it is good for cattle to eat. Common Cinquefoil Potentilla simplex Cute little plant, but I am not sure what it is. Maybe Hawksbeard (Asteracea), like My Green Patch identified. I did look up Hawksbeard, but I could not find them grouped like this on the end of the stem, so I was unsure. The plant is maybe a foot tall. Daisy Bellis perennis As identified correctly by Island Threads. Black Medic Orange Skipper Pilosella aurantiaca As identified correctly by Island Threads. A wild rose because of the leaves, or Hackberry because of the flowers? See, I need a guide book. This is a small tree or large shrub. It is difficult to tell what form it will become. The leaves are not typical of Hackberry and the cluster is not typical of wild roses. Philadephus is out too. Hum. This Spiraea was in the bed of native plants at the Discovery Center. The building and grounds are getting renovated. I do believe they are keeping the native gardens with all the new construction. Geranium maculatum These geraniums were also in the native bed, but plenty was seen along the trails. I had no idea what this flower is called, but the Queen of Seaford identified it as Erysimum, Wallflower. The privet was growing wild along the Niagara trail. Even when I try to avoid the insects, one slips in on the shot. See the little critter? Not sure of above either, but it looked like a type of Geum. Field Bindweed, Convolvulus Bindweed is not a plant most want in a garden, native or otherwise. Colt’s Foot Colt’s Foot, I think. A tiny dandelion look-a-like. Cute little bug too. The pink grasses are quite pretty. Dandelion Buttercup Ranunculus spp. Buttercup tidbit. Buttercups generally inhabit moist areas and can be poisonous to animals. All animals are susceptible to buttercup poisoning, generally and most often by the tall buttercup (Ranunculus acris L.), but cows are most often poisoned. Dried buttercups, however, are not poisonous, so buttercup laden hay can be fed without fear of poisoning the farm critters. I find this interesting because buttercups are a flower kid’s love to pick. I love rhododendrons with their gorgeous showy flowers, cool looking evergreen foliage. They fit right in my woodland garden appreciating the morning sun and afternoon shade. They let you know when it is too cold for their liking by curling up their leaves. Some have a soft and fuzzy tomentum on the undersides of the leaves, like my yakushimanum.   Rhodos have their share of problems like other plants and recently I had to figure out why my yaku 'Ken Janek' was dying. Unfortunately I did not take any before pictures ( I was too distraught) to help with the description. Basically the rhodo was dying stem by stem. Quite the shame as they all had flower buds growing on them. What to do?   Removed stems   I dug 'Ken' up. Not the easiest job in the world. This rhodo is not big but digging it up, leaves and flower buds intact, plus root ball, well, I am sure some of you have been in my place. It seemed OK. I could not find disease, or pests or anything obvious. So I tried opening up some of the root ball and then replanted it.   A couple of weeks and 'Ken' did not show any change. In fact there was no response to my digging it up and cutting it open a bit. No shock, no wilt, nothing. It just kept dying.   That's not right I thought. So I dug 'Ken' up again - much easier this time. This time my eyes actually saw what was wrong and I think it has something to do with the way the growers grow the plants. The root ball was actually a very dense mat of peat and whatever other growing medium they use. I realized that there were no visible live roots outside that mass. The roots were not able to get through and into my lovely acid soil. So with nothing left to lose I grabbed our ancient machete and started hacking off pieces of the root ball around the top and sides. When I found root I cut a piece off to see if it was live root or not. If not, I kept hacking.   In the end I lost about half of the original plant. After I replanted 'Ken' he wilted for a for a few days and I took that as a good sign. A week later and the rhodo is showing some colour on one of the buds which means it may actually bloom.     Today, still a bit wilted     Hope Busy busy busy. Most of it in my garden which is a very good thing. For now let's catch up on what has been blooming and now close to finishing.     First, two new additions to the garden. This one is R. 'Fascination' a Yakushimanum. It is very similar to Ken Janek (also in the garden) but hey, I like it.     The second is Lemon Lights azalea. This is my first azalea. I have always admired the flowers especially as they bloom so early, but never sure about not being evergreen. I am not much of a stick admirer but I will have to get over that. Here's another photo of the flowers:     Amazing colour!       Here's a mellower yellow with rosa hugonis 'Father Hugo'. I have had this species rose for four years now and this year it rewarded me with close to one hundred blooms. This type of rose is an awkward fit in the garden. It is like a teenager, all limbs, flailing about. However each of those limbs is covered with a dozen or so blooms all the way along each stem. Magnificent.     Blue eyed grass - a species native to our area   I always look forward to the return of the Blue eyed grasses. They are found all over North America and they all are easily recognizable. Notice the difference in the shape of the petals between the one on top and the photos below. I recently found out that there is a naturally pink flowering blue eyed grass.   Blue eyed grass 'Lucerne'     Last summer our master gardener group went on a tour of the nurseries at Sheridan Gardens in Georgetown, Ontario. While at their gift shop, oops I mean Garden Center, I and a friend found the native climbing honeysuckle sempervirens. Well we both certainly hoped it was so, as we both (it turned out) coveted and had been searching for the elusive sempervirens for years. I believe I can say with certainty and pride that we are the proud owners of this gorgeous plant. (If I am wrong please let me down gently)   sigh Earlier this month my master gardener group had a tour of the Centennial Rose Garden at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton. The reason behind our visit was to learn about the changes the gardens have made or had to make since the Ontario pesticide ban in 2009. Through consultation with other large gardens they have returned to 'heritage' care techniques, or in other words, organic practices. Not surprisingly, this is not as easy a feat to accomplish with gardens of its size and unfortunately a lack of funds to support their endeavors in order to present the gardens at the level of quality for a botanic garden.   Climber 'Alchymist' The main problem they deal with in the rose garden is black spot. Anyone who grows roses knows this problem well. How do you create beautiful beds of let's say hybrid teas when all their bottom leaves are turning yellow and falling off? Not a pretty sight. Keeping the beds clean looking is presently more of a priority than the actual prevention of the problem especially during rose season.   Climber 'Roberta Bondar'   The problem of black spot is the result of the way they prepared the beds for the winter. Each rose bed was covered with a plastic sheet of polyfoam and then trenched in. Even the climbing roses received the same practice being removed from their supports, laid on the ground and covered in polyfoam. Black spot, weeds and mice thrived under the plastic and after years of following this practice the soil is completely infected with the fungus. To add to this, most rose beds are grown just as that, rose beds. This creates a monoculture in which pests and diseases thrive.   Parkdirektor Riggers   In the last few years there have been changes including planting roses that are hardier for our zone, growing more shrub roses like rugosas which are relatively trouble free, and growing more disease resistant varieties such as the 'Knockout ' roses. They are also playing with some new mixed plantings such as roses, clematis and grasses.   Captain Samuel Holland   There is still a lot of work required to bring the Centennial Rose Garden up to the level it should be and one day they will achieve that. For now they are looking at ways to replace all the soil in each bed, a huge goal and very costly endeavor. In the meantime the rose gardens are still a lovely place to wander through with camera in hand and nose at the ready. Bed of species roses   rosa foetida bicolour 'Austrian Copper'   rosa foetida 'Persian Yellow Rose'   William Baffin   roses galore!   Knockout roses with clematis and panicum 'Heavy Metal'   Knockout 'Carefree Celebration'   gorgeous Knockout - sorry never got the name the above photo was taken just before sunset which was between 6 and 6.30 early evening, we had stopped for the night choosing a sandy desert area as then there was less chance of being bothered by mosquitoes, the next morning I went for a little walk along the bank, I saw these unusual fruits I was told they are not edible but are used to make a medicine, the boatman didn’t know the English or Latin name only the Arabic, this was growing in the sandy bank last year I was upset when a lovely dark pink flowering currant was blown over by the gales and died, when it was first blown down and there were live stems I took some cuttings and pushed them in around the garden I am happy that 3 have taken and are growing quite well, the scots pine survived the gales though one side of it has brown needles and look it is putting on good new growth, a clump of fungi seen in the garden now a couple of questions, I always thought hart’s tongue fern was dark green in colour but mine goes this pale yellow green, I’m wondering why, does anyone recognise these leaves, they are one of the following plants, the labels all went missing, Lythrum salicaria Blush Saponaria officinalis Alba Plena, Double white soapwort I bought these plants many years ago for a damp boggy area and transferred some to the ditch garden this plant survives and multiplies by running roots but never flowers, it’s on it’s last chance this year no flowers and most of it is being removed as it is a bit of a thug, the jungle side of the front garden, I call it the jungle as the plants have either died or become over grown and congested, last year grass moved in and I didn’t get time to do anything much, earlier this year I pulled off the top grass but didn’t get the roots up, I think due to the dry weather the grass has as yet not re-grown, the beautiful blue geraniums are just starting to come into flower, now some colour from the lupin, I think I should change the name of the damp meadow to the lupin meadow, can you see the colourful spider in the first photo, I like seeing the blue and red together, I usually edit photos so you do not see so much of the horrid heather and grass areas of the garden but in the next 2 photos I’ve left it in, it’s hard work trying to remove it, the traditional way is to do a controlled burning, I am too much of a coward to try that I’d probably set fire to the whole moor,                   This is also a view looking Northwest into Canada, across the Niagara River. Here I thought the water was a pretty scene, but seriously, it was hard to point the camera down and not up today. So let’s keep walking. This is how I walk to the Falls, past all the native blooming plants. It is hard not to think they are more than just weeds. Pollinators come in all types and sizes and make every weed a wildflower. The insect above might be a Green Metallic Bee, Agapostemon sp., rather than a fly. I believe because the antennae are longer than would be found in a fly. This is not a good photo, because it does not show a profile view which would help in identification. Yarrow Achillea millefolium Walking along the gorge towards Niagara Falls, yields many lovely wildflowers, but by the time I return with photos, I often don’t have enough info in them to properly identify the plant. Like above, I did not take the photo including the leaves, which are mandatory in proper plant ID. Yarrow leaves are pretty distinctive. Yarrow tidbit. Did you know the entire yarrow plant, excepting the roots, can be used medicinally. I learned this from a seminar last year on native plants given by a Native American woman, knowledgeable in herbs and native plants. She said the plant, fresh or dried can be taken internally or applied externally, depending on the ailment. Here are some of the ailments it is purported to benefit. It reduces fever, and helps relieve flu and colds. Its bitter tonic properties relieve stomach-ache, diarrhea, cramping, as well as sore throats and gum irritation. It supposedly relieves menstrual pain. Externally, it stops bleeding, and helps to prevent infection of topical cuts. Also it is used as a hemorrhoids treatment. This information has been passed down though generations of Native American healers. You have to wonder if they really work. I will write more on this later, or if you have that burning desire to know how it is concocted, I may give you the lowdown in the comments. Just ask. It really is interesting. Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare Here’s a tidbit on the Oxeye Daisy. Daisies have been reported to be INVASIVE in seven national parks, including the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. How you ask? They spread by underground roots and by over active seed production. The seeds float and find their way to river banks. They form dense colonies to replace up to half the grasses in pastures, additionally, they have been found to host several viral diseases affecting crops. Tidbit on the Pollinator It is Eristalis tenax, a Syrphid Fly – Common name, Drone Fly Some hoverflies’ larvae are important predators of soft-bodied prey like aphids and thrips, much to rose growers delight. Many Syrphids, like the Drone Fly above, are important pollinators, and are considered beneficial insects. Gardeners can plant flowers that attract them like; Alyssum, Iberis umbellata, statice, chamomile, parsley, and yarrow. 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برچسب‌ها: گلها و گیاهان دارویی وحشی