Look Around the Yard

I am really enjoying the flowers this year. We always plant Impatiens in the back where there is a plethora of shade. My wife says the I could not plant any flowers more appropriate. (Does she mean that I am impatient?) These flowers do well in this microhabitat. It is interesting that the deer usually will not touch these plants this time of year. There will be a time in late summer/early fall when the deer crave an Impatiens salad and all the flowers will be nibbled to their base. It all happens at one time.

Remember how in the spring I showed you the blooming redbud trees? I was impressed that the redbud flowers come directly out of the bark. Here are the fruits at this time of year. You can see the pea-like fruits on the bark. This tree is native to North America and Canada with cousins in Europe and Asia. It was first cultivated in 1811. The Spaniards noted Redbuds and made distinctions between the New World species and their cousins in the Mediterranean region in 1571. George Washington reported in his diary on many occasions about the beauty of the tree and spent many hours in his garden transplanting seedlings obtained from the nearby forest.





In the front of our yard the plants in the sun garden are blooming. I love the butterfly weed!






Fritillary butterflies are attracted to the butterfly weed. I have not seen a Monarch yet - they also love the milkweed family of plants.

This week is the West Virginia State Folk Festival in Glenville. It will be a busy and fun time. I will blog some glimpses of the Festival next week.