Bunnies, Critters, Garden, Village Life
Garden Walk - Final Day
On to the rest of the flowers!
I’ve grown purple Bee Balm for years. When it flowers, the patch becomes the bumble bee equivalent of O’Hare airport, packed with the activity of the incoming and outgoing little fuzzy bees from dawn to dusk. Sadly, we rarely see honeybees, as they have become scarcer and scarcer nationwide.
Although dandelions are considered the scourage of suburban lawns, I find their delicate seed heads amazingly beautiful. When we had pet guinea pigs, they happily consumed as many dandelion leaves and flowers as they could get. I’ve noticed that the bunnies seek out and enjoy munching on dandelions, too.
The names of garden plants are often confusing, which led me years ago to start memorizing the Latin names of my plants so I could keep them straight. This Yellow Loosestrife, for example, is completely unrelated to the invasive purple loosestrife that has wreaked havoc on many of our native wetlands. There is, however, another plant that is also named yellow loosestrife (botanical name Lysimachia vulgaris) which is also quite invasive. It looks incredibly similar to this plant, which is a “Lysimachia punctata.” Clear as mud? I thought so. Although the Lysimachia punctata version of yellow loosestrife that I grow is quite pretty, it still isn’t a plant I recommend as it requires careful monitoring to not turn into a plant thug that muscles its way over nearby plants.
This is the first year that my clematis has been larger than a twig. I’ve had it in three previous locations in the yard, and it survived but hardly bloomed and had very short vines. Last autumn we finally moved it to a spot that it apparently finds quite satisfactory, and it has put on a very respectible display of blossoms. This particular clematis is also a real survivor, as it has been chomped down to the ground several times over the years by…
yes, you guessed it: a bunny!
Whew - that’s the tour! Next year I’ll have all sorts of hostas to enjoy too, as I finally found an organic grower in Michigan that ships her plants nationwide - hurrah! One of the hostas is called “Sum and Substance,” and has huge leaves that make the plant look like something out of the tropics. I’m sure the bunnies will approve, as it’ll provide even more hiding spots for them and… maybe.. just maybe… it might be.. tasty!!
A bunny can always hope.
26 Aug 2007 JAS
The walk in the garden is nice work. We get a chance to enjoy the place through your eyes. Thanks.
Very nice Judy garden walk Judy. You’re right about your bee balm, they come in hords!
Our thoughts and prayers are with your sister-in-law’s friend.
Dan and Diana
Show off, is all I can come up with (said with a smile and great affection you understand). As I’ve said before, the marauding herds of deer that roam thru our yard pretty much preclude much in the way of sustainable gardens. And the coyote, bobcat and domestic cat population preclude bunnies as well…not that it matters much. One munches higher than the other, but they both are still dedicated pruners.
That said - beautiful gardens!
I’ve only seen the one adult bunny in our lawn; hope the little ones survived. I read on the web somewhere that rabbits are ‘nature’s potato chips’, meant to be devoured by predators.
We don’t even have dandelions in the lawn, much to my dismay, although I’ll have to send you a picture of the Canadian thistle plants that are growing in the front yard. The bees love ‘em but the lawn is beginning to look like a minefield with little pricker plants breeding
Well I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey through your gardens and look forward to next years walk. Thanks for sharing.