When I planted large bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora) last year, I had no idea what I was in for. I had acquired the plants, flowerless and sorry looking, at a discount at Mahoney’s and unlike Dickens I had no great expectations. It is now the middle of April and the plants have pushed through the soil […]
Archive for April, 2012
Uvularia grandiflora (large bellwort)
Posted in Flora, Plant bio on April 23, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Question mark? Comma?
Posted in Fauna, Interesting on April 21, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Kidding aside, those are real names of butterflies. Just today I saw an eastern comma (Polygonia comma) in it’s summer form (black hind wings as opposed to orange hind wings for the winter form). I am secretly hoping that the early abundance of different butterflies has something to do with the native wildflowers in my […]
Mariposa ranch
Posted in Fauna, Interesting on April 19, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
The more showy butterflies such as the monarch and swallowtail may still be “waiting in the wings”, as it were, but that does not mean that Papilionidae or true butterflies are not represented this time of year. The spring azure has been fluttering about for a few weeks now, and just the other day I […]
about invasiveness
Posted in Rants & Raves on April 17, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
There are several definitions floating around on what it means for a species to be invasive. A lot of laymen and scientists alike tend to use “invasive” as pertaining to the agressive nature or habit of a species of plant or animal where the new species negatively affects native species, by means of crowding it […]
Erythronium albidum (white trout lily)
Posted in Flora, Plant bio on April 17, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
I was able to acquire a few pieces of rootstock of white trout lily last year, and put them willy-nilly in the garden without having too many expectations about the outcome. After all, immature plants produce a single leaf and fail to flower – so at best I was foreseeing a lot of dappled leaves […]
Got ya!
Posted in Flora, Interesting on April 17, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
You may remember my post last year about the twinleaf plant (Jeffersonia diphylla), when I lamented the fact that I missed the ONE day this plant was in bloom. Of course I was aware that the flower lasts only a short time after blooming in April or May, and that it gives way to a […]
Spring and summer rental
Posted in Interesting on April 17, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
One story unit w/ open floor plan, lovingly maintained. Seeking clean and interesting tenants for seasonal occupancy. Property abuts woodland and wildflower garden. Two other units available still. Serious inquiries only. Open house 24/7… p.s. House cat may be in the vicinity but has no interest in making house calls.
Caltha palustris (marsh marigold)
Posted in Flora, Plant bio on April 16, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris)Â is a European and North American plant of the buttercup family. It is one of the most ancient native plants and I am frankly not quite sure whether it originated in Europe or in the Americas. It may have been growing here since before the last Ice Age and, after the […]
Another Spring Heatwave, This Time I Got to Enjoy It…
Posted in Guest blogger on April 16, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
It’s mid April and we’re having a repeat of last month’s heatwave, this time however I got to enjoy it with a few days off which was nice. 100 new tiny plants pop up in the yard each night, and all manner of insects are running wild in the yard. The paper wasps have returned to […]