I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the goings-on in the yard these past couple of weeks. Then, in terms of this website, it makes it hard to know what content to show — I get overwhelmed. Plus, my husband and I had a visit from our oldest son who wanted to get away from Brooklyn and … More To innocent beauty
Our oldest son is here visiting from Brooklyn. Olive accompanied him. A Great-spangled Fritillary on a very tall, thorny thistle. Note the fritillary’s proboscis entering deep into the thistle to get to the nectar. Damselflies down by the pond mating. If you have a romantic heart, it is said that their coupling forms a heart! … More Happenings…
Twins! I have two does that are regulars in the yard. One, of course, if you’ve been reading past entries, is the mother of “Beatrice,” the fawn that was born in my front yard about three weeks ago. Bea’s mother is a constant sight around the yard as she feeds — tree branches, meadow grasses, … More Great news!
I have two different types of peonies in my gardens. Up around the back of the main house, I have the typical peonies that I remember as a child — massively ruffled in white, pink and magenta. As much as I love these peonies, they are not a great pollinator flower. The ruffles are so … More Peonies and Pollinators
Come early May, the hummingbirds arrive. In Minnesota we have one species — the Ruby-throated hummingbird. It’s all we need. In the early morning as I sit at my desk and look out at the hummingbird feeder, they come, one after the other, the females throat more dull than the male, taking a respite and … More Iridescence
The baby bluebirds, which went from, have grown up and left the nest. You can hear the fledgings from the interior of trees squawking away, demanding to be fed. Mom and dad are busy perching and searching for favorite foods, and I still put out live mealworms — a little help never hurt anyone! The … More The babes have fledged
If you’re lucky enough, you can catch the flitting goldfinch delicately balancing on a flower stalk for more than a fleeting moment. Sometimes they collect in groups, males and females communing on a catmint plant. But the other day, I noticed some disturbance in a cottage flower that required a pair of binoculars. Sure enough, … More Who’s there
I love poppies. A large expanse of poppies would be exquisite. The red poppies that take over the field adjacent to the walls of St. Paul Asylum in Saint Remy-de-Provence where Van Gogh stayed are gorgeous…and legendary. But the problem for me is two-fold: The bloom time — extremely short 2. I’m cursed when it … More The Poppy
This past weekend saw the buds on the shrub roses bloom brilliantly, revealing their secret within — large amounts of pollen! Even though the wind blew fiercely, and not necessarily fond of wind, it wasn’t enough to keep the honey bees away. And let’s not forget the bumblebee, who will roll around in the heart … More The pollinators are out
around the yard. Well, the goslings sure are growing up! Look at how confident they look now as they glide just as serenely as their parents to the bank of the pond. Out of the water? Still a little awkward as their wings still have to grow to give them ballast. I found a cardinal’s … More Happenings…
A Gardener's Diary 