Oh my goodness, I have been missing out on this thread, what beautiful flowers !!!!
Do you garden with native plants Pt. 2
jmorth: I would love some Dames Rocket seeds. The edge of the woods at our old house used to be a blaze of purple in the spring. I have a similar situation here and would love to start some.
I'll save you some.
Tradescantia - Spiderwort
In case anyone is interested, Hesperis matronalis Dame's Rocket is a foreign invasive, not native, and is banned in several states now. It's common on roadsides here. I just pulled up dozens of them in my yard.
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=HEMA3
Yeah, it's everywhere in western NY too, grows right alongside garlic mustard & purple-loosestrife. Pretty flowers, but so weedy.
Yes, Yes !!! Dame's Rocket is banned in WI and in my state too.
From the Wisconsin DNR:
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT: Dame's rocket is native to Eurasia but was introduced to North America in the 1600's. This plant usually grows in moist and mesic woodlands, on woodland edges, along roadsides, and also in open areas.
http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/fact/dames_rocket.htm
I'm a newbie here. I'm using natives along the edges of my shade garden that is next to the massively overgrown woods behind my house. These are some celandine poppies.
I've also used native coral bells (heuchera richardsonii). They are great! They take virtually no watering other than rain and have spread very nicely.
Very nice Debbie.
Josephine.
As much as the farmer's field next to our wooded area sends me Garlic Mustard, I'd rather have Dames Rocket. Then I could send him some instead. He used to mow that strip but stopped several years ago. That's when the Garlic Mustard started invading my yard.
Thanks Josephine.
I just started my first woodland garden bed (will do more eventually). I was able to get a bush honeysuckle and sweetfern from my local nursery, and through a garden club fundraiser I got a bunch of spring wildflowers: solomon's seal, anemone, fringed bleeding heart, virginia bluebells, viola. I can't wait to see how it comes up next year!
a closer view (though not showing all)
Looks nice! What kind of bush honeysuckle did you get? All the ones I'm familiar with are invasive weeds.
Looks good. Don't be concerned if the Virginia Bluebells disappear shortly. They're not dead, just going dormant.
The honeysuckle is Diervilla lonicera, which is native here and growing wild on my woodland edge under some hemlock and pine (literally peeking out under them - hardly noticed them until we stopped mowing so close to the edge).
I pre-ordered the ones in the bed and I think the nursery said the kind they had were "Copper"
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/79541/
Oh yes, that's a good one!
Soloman's Seal
Very pretty, I have never grown those.
Thalictrum, Meadow Rue is blooming today. Not sure if it's the aquilegifolim type or not, but I think it is.
How pretty and delicate that is.
T. aquilegifolium, in my experience, produces a pretty flat topped flower head. So I don't think it is that species. Does anyone else concur?
Well, since I bought one Texas Bluebells (Eustoma grandiflorum) plant this year, I just fell in love with these all over again. Even if I can't keep it alive for next year, it is SO worth it!
Yes, they are gorgeous Linda.