Yard Report

[lady_branwyn]

The War on the Wild Violets continues. I know--they aren't weeds, blah, blah, blah. If you like them so much, feel free to come over to my yard and dig them all up.

RIP new cherry tree. No signs of life after I pruned it to stimulate growth several weeks ago.

The elderberry bush, however, is seven feet tall, all new growth since it was flattened last fall by our neighbor's tree.

Twenty years ago, I planted a lady fern in the shade garden at the back of our property. It has stubbornly hung on but never thrived--until this year. Luxuriating in the rain and cool weather, it towers above the other plants in its prehistoric glory. I am hoping it will produce offspring.

Comments

[just_ann_now]

I know those wild violets are supposed to be a host plant for some kind of caterpillar, but I've never seen one on them - I think the holes are probably from slugs. I have been yanking mine out too, with great abandon. (I feel guilty pulling them out in the spring, just like the ground ivy - Sally caught me out on that, says it's valuable nectar for the early bees. But as soon as I see other plants in bloom, the ground ivy's got to go. It's so satisfying pulling it up.)

[lady_branwyn]

Interesting, no, I've never seen anything eating or living on wild violets. But they form mats which crowd out everything else so they have to go. However, I don't touch the milkweed that planted itself along the driveway a couple years ago and has spread to a nearby flowerbed.

[just_ann_now]

And milkweed has such an intoxicating fragrance! I love it. I have a nice stand of it against the fence, though I do feel guilty about removing it when it pops up in other spots. I transplanted some, earlier in the spring, and I'm not entirely sure of how its doing.

[lady_branwyn]

I wonder if the butterflies like the fancy ornamental milkweeds as much as they do the wild varieties.

[just_ann_now]

I was surprised a while back to learn that butterfly bush isn't nearly as useful as butterfly flower, (Asclepias Tuberosa). You are right about wild vs. cultivars - I had a bright yellow yarrow that, though pretty, was absolutely untouched by butterflies or bees. So now I'm very careful what I put in.

[lady_branwyn]

My dad the horticulturist told me that you always sacrifice something else when you try to breed plants for certain qualities. Like the beautiful roses with no scent.

[just_ann_now]

*nod nod*

[shirebound]

What lovely news about the elderberry and fern!

[lady_branwyn]

The cool, rainy weather has left everything lush and green, but I am glad that I never got around to planting any tomatoes or eggplants because they would not be thriving.