True Epicure Says » Nature

Asclepias verticillata

trueepicure — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:49:59 +0000

The catalogs are arriving now. A blessing and a curse. I’m happy to have bright, shiny pages full of gorgeous flowers to gawk at, but I can’t do a damned thing in my garden right now.

Bluestone Perennials’ catalog arrived yesterday. I was happy to see they are carrying Asclepias verticillata this year. A. verticillata is a North American native plant and is is a foodsource for larval Monarch butterflies. Monarchs are one of a few species of insects that have evolved to require Asclepias species in part of their lifecycle. Another species of insect that has a symbiotic relationship with milkweed is the Red Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus).

Hummingbirds like A. verticillata, it tolerates wet spots and hot and dry spots (both of which I have in ample supply in my yard), and is generally a plant-it-and-forget-about-it kind of plant. My favorite.

Asclepias verticillata will definitely be a part of my garden plan for next year. How about yours?

Belamcanda chinensis

trueepicure — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 13:00:07 +0000

I really need to take time to enjoy our garden more. I’d forgotten that my Blackberry Lily was blooming until I was reading Garden Muse and saw Cindy’s pictures. I get so caught up in watering and deadheading flowers that I forget to just walk around and enjoy everything.

So of course, I grabbed the iPhone and snapped some pics.

Note to self: Enjoy the fruits of your labor and don’t forget to walk around the house at least once a day.

Wordless Wednesday: Anticipation

trueepicure — Thu, 27 May 2010 03:11:06 +0000

Magnolia

trueepicure — Tue, 25 May 2010 17:00:09 +0000

This was the beginning to my day yesterday. It should have been a better day, but I’m grateful that it began and ended with beauty and love.

Wordless Wednesday: The Last Big Storm

trueepicure — Wed, 19 May 2010 19:24:19 +0000

Worth It

trueepicure — Tue, 18 May 2010 02:49:14 +0000

There are days when I don’t have the wherewithal to do much beyond feed myself and get myself to work. It was one of those days.

Sometimes you need a reminder that life is good and there will be better days.

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snowflake’

trueepicure — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 01:12:22 +0000

This is so exciting:

GROW Project – April

trueepicure — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 16:00:04 +0000

Yesterday I planted about 2/3 of my packet of ‘Spitfire’ Nasturtiums for the GROW Project. I put 1/3 in the big pot just outside our front door. The other plant that currently resides in that pot is the Chrysanthemum that E bought this past fall. It occurs to me that I probably should have taken some time to see if Chrysanthemums have some sort of growth inhibitor properties. Ah well.

I planted the other 1/3 of my Nasties along the stairs that lead up to the front of my house. I’d like some color there, and the orange-y red should look nice with the summer bulbs that I planted. Don’t ask what the bulbs are because I have no recollection. They might be the Brodiea laxa that I planted too late last year, and ended up moving several times.

I planted some of the Nasturtiums in the planter along the stairs, and some in the new yard. I’ll be experimenting with climbing vs. trailing. It will be interesting to see the difference. I haven’t decided what to do with the last third. I might just hang on to them for next year.

If you are reading this and you are one of the other GROW members and you have an account on Folia, I’d love to connect up. Feel free to leave a comment with your Folia username or add me as a friend on Folia (trueepicure).

I’m growing Nasturtium “Spitfire” for the GROW project. Thanks, to Renee’s Garden for the seeds.

USBG Production Facility

trueepicure — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 03:30:28 +0000

I spent a good part of my day today at the U.S. Botanic Garden’s Production Facility. It’s a once-a-year opportunity that I am so glad to have found out about. Thanks to the suggestion from a new member of our garden club.

There were lots of beautiful things to look at, and many nice staff and volunteers to chat with. I was definitely among my people today.

Rosehips in DC

trueepicure — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:00:26 +0000