Signs of autumn

In a few days, the high temperatures will hit 90+ again, but in the meantime I am going to pretend that autumn is on its way. The yard looks like it agrees, as summer blooms become less vibrant and the fall ones start to come into their own.

Wasps seem to outnumber the bees, at least on the goldenrod. I plan to use the flowers from this plant to dye yarn, so I'll need to harvest early in the day and shake off any bugs that are hiding out. Don't worry - there will be plenty left for the insects.

The fruit on the flowering crabs and winterberry is turning.

And in anticipation of Halloween, new flamingos have been added to the collection.

Under the "out and about" category, my SO and son and I visited the local botanical conservatory this week. I don't usually go there in the summer - and now I know why: it's HOT in there on a sunny day! The tropical and desert displays feel like more of a respite during the winter months, but I wanted to see their pueblo garden display. Of particular interest were methods for conserving water: buried ollas and waffle beds. The "three sisters" - corn, beans, and squash - were planted together, another age-old gardening trick. And then there were those ever-popular southwest colors - terra cotta adobe and blue doors.

It's difficult to leave a garden of any kind without purchasing a memento, in this case three living stone plants. I wanted something that would not outgrow the pot for many years, and these "buttons" look like they fit the bill. Hopefully, I won't kill them. (The foliage and flowers in the photos are artificial.)

This year there seems to be a plethora of articles on deadheading and seed-saving coneflowers. The advice does not compute, as indicated by the comments that accompany the posts, most of which lean toward the "leave the seeds for the birds" and "coneflowers will reseed themselves" variety. Yes, the fading flowers are not very pretty but the goldfinch feeding on them are.

A little springtime prep

I tend to accumulate piles of stuff that are destined for a variety of charity shops, but those piles frequently just sit and sit and sit. This past week I actually cleared out the one for the local Restore store. This included a garbage bin I never used for garbage, just bird seed, that has been taking up space in the garage. Farewell!

That bit of clean-up inspired me to get a few more things out of the garage - flamingos. One holds a pot that over the years has sported a variety of annuals, none of which have worked out very well; I'll try something new this summer. Another flamingo is new to the yard.

A new windchime is gracing the pergola over the deck. It makes much better music than any of the other windchimes I have owned. Delightful.

I finally ordered four low-growing chokeberry shrubs, but I am still having trouble finding some of the other items on my plant wish-list. I also find myself not very driven to work harder at locating the plants. It's not like I don't have a wide variety of green things already in the yard. I'll hit some local nurseries and native plant sales once we get closer to May.

Despite nighttime temps in the 20's this past week, it didn't really frost, so those blooming trees and shrubs look fine. Bluebirds have taken up residence in the bluebird house without being harrassed by sparrows - the upsidedown tuna can I put in the box must be working to discourage the latter.

And I put out the rain guage. It hasn't rained since, but this week looks promising.

April showers... and more!

We have had a very rainy week. The rain garden is so full, it is attracting mallards. If I had put out my rain gauge, I could tell you just how much rain my yard has received, but take my word for it - it's a LOT. I have even mowed the lawn, twice.

(Looking at the photo above makes me think surrounding the rain garden with daffodils would be pretty.)

The story behind my quasi obsession with flamingos is based in part on my dad. He was a chemist who at the end of his career landed at Foster Grant in Leominster, Massachusetts, the purported plastics capital of the world. Union Products, the manufacturer of plastic pink flamingos, was also located in Leominster. One day I got it into my head that I wanted some pink flamingos from the source, so I asked my dad to oblige. Three arrived in the mail shortly thereafter. Over the years, and with the help of my son and daughter-in-law, I have added to the collection.

Alas, I am one of those people who is not careful to take all my yard stuff in during the winter. Two of the original flamingos have lost their heads. I'm not one to be sentimental about my belongings, but I am a bit regretful about this little tragedy. The remaining flamingo will become an indoor ornament.

My cataract surgery was successful. I'm a little shocked at how bright everything is. Clio's eye surgery followed; her recovery is a bit more complicated, as she has to wear the "cone of shame". We both have eyedrops, which I administer four times a day.

I uncovered the strawberry plants a few days ago. It looks like they took a beating this past winter. I'm contemplating transplanting the survivors, from the raised bed into the ground proper. The garlic I planted with them seems to be okay, though.

The redbud at the back of the yard is trying to bloom. Too soon! Too soon! We may have a hard frost this week.

What's it good for? Joe pye weed

The three moisture-loving plants I added to the edge of the rain garden bloom in succession: first meadow rue, then queen of the prairie, now Joe pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum).

It's tall but so far has not needed staking, unlike its neighbors. Like its neighbors, it will spread, so I hope I don't regret including it in my wild backyard. For general information on this plant, go here. For information on growing it, try this site.

While Joe pye has medicinal uses, I plant it for its benefit to pollinators and birds. Hopefully, it will attract a butterfly or two?

I did see a swallowtail this week in my backyard, on the coneflower. Alas, it did not linger. At least the bees are busy.

The weather continues to be weird. We've had enough rain this summer to bring on the fungi. July had some very hot days, but now that August is here, the temps are more moderate, even dipping into the 50's at night. It definitely does not feel like the dog days of summer.

On one of the hot but overcast days, family members visited the Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend. There were flamingos!

Speaking of flamingos, I figured out why my recently purchased solar-powered one was not working: there is an on-off switch that I neglected to notice. Now it glows. If they go on sale, I may purchase a few more, just for kicks. One can never have too many pink flamingos.

What's it good for? Queen of the prairie

The first time I saw Queen of the prairie (Filipendula rubra), I was in love. Although it tolerates clay soil, it likes to keep its feet wet, so it seemed like an unlikely candidate for my yard. Now that I have a rain garden, though, it's been added to the fringe. However, it may be a useless beauty unless you are interested in some of its medicinal uses. (I'm not.) I noticed a few pollinators on it.

I installed only one plant, but the clump it eventually forms may become quite large (4 feet across). Also, it spreads by seeds, which I hope does not become a problem. We'll see. Meanwhile, I will enjoy it - pretty in pink.

Elsewhere in the yard:

The strawberry patch looks very healthy. I've been able to pick a few berries from it every few days. Very tasty!

My granddaughter and I painted some small rocks to look like strawberries, to fool the birds. The faux berries need to be sprayed with fixative before I set them out. So far, the birds have left the harvest alone.

I keep trying to get a good pic of the "meadow". This one has the plants labeled, so if you enlarge it, you can at least tell what is there. Like many things, the meadow looks better in real life.

Up close and personal.

I don't think this Canada hemlock is going to make it. It looks peaked compared to its brethren. If it goes, a gold mop will replace it.

The latest addition to my flamingo collection. This one is supposed to glow, but it is either a dud or else just does not get enough sun. I'll move it and see if it does better elsewhere.

Another useless beauty, but I love the bright orange.

The first harvest from the green bean plants!

Still not safe for elms

Ever since I planted a Triumph Elm (Ulmus 'Morton Glossy') in my backyard in 2016, I have been a fan. It's a gorgeous shade tree that grows relatively quickly and is resistant to the evil Dutch elm disease. Alas, that does not mean it is impervious to other ills.

According to a recent article in the Purdue University Landscape Report, the elm zigzag sawfly (EZS), Aproceros leucopoda, a non-native insect, has recently been detected in several midwestern states, although not Indiana (yet). Initially, the EZS larvae chew zigzag patterns into elm leaves, thus the common name of the insect; however, as it grows larger, it skeletonizes the leaves. While most trees will survive defoliation, years of feeding by EZS will weaken a tree and increase its susceptibility to other pests and disease.

If you suspect this pest is on your tree, at least in Indiana, please contact the Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab for identification. There is still much to learn about EZS.

As if that were not enough, there has also been an uptick in reports of black spot of elm. It favors cool, wet conditions, so maybe our recent hot dry weather will discourage it.

On a happier note, the asters and goldenrod are not discouraged this year. Both are covered in pollinators of various sizes and types. I'm always happy to see that.

Halloween is coming. I'm not big on holiday decorations, but a few lights here, a seasonal flamingo there, is right up my alley.

Previously, our first frost date was October 6. That came and went with temps in the 70's. Today it is cooler, but still no frost in the forecast. I am SO done with summer. Bring on the hot cider!

A walk in the woods

My SO and I took a little hike in the Lindenwood Nature Preserve this past week. I'm always on the lookout for unusual fungi. Most of what we saw we had seen before, but not this blue sample. I haven't been able to identify it. Any guesses?

We also saw some fruit here and there. This is white banebarry, a.k.a. doll's eyes.

Something unusual was this beehive in the ground. (If you look closely at the photo, you can see some honeycomb in the wall of the hole.) We were puzzled about the hole, but then noticed some honeycomb scattered around it, as though something (raccoon?) had tried digging up the hive.

Closer to home, the Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks' goldenrod is peaking while its taller cousin on the other side of the house is past its prime.

I attended a harvest festival yesterday and could not resist this flamingo bird house made from a gourd. It will winter inside.

We have been having some rainy days plus lower temperatures, so it *almost* feels like fall. The lawn is happier, as am I, the master waterer.

Word of the week

Dehiscence means "the splitting or bursting open of a pod or wound". Milkweed pods are a perfect example of the former; I don't really want to picture the latter.

I frequently mention that I do my fall clean up in the spring, but there are also some chores that have to be accomplished now: moving the potted perennials and such into the garage, storing the patio furniture, cleaning out the bird houses, sanitizing the bird feeders, etc. It has been cold enough for the bird bath to freeze over, even though I plugged in the heater. I don't know if the problem is the outlet, the extension cord, or the bird bath itself. One of these days, I will have to check that out.

Here are the installed flamingos. I hope the neighbors are aghast. Online I found an artificial xmas tree that looks like a palm tree. Wouldn't that make the perfect backdrop?

Today it is snowing, and the snow is sticking... sort of. Later in the week, we expect rain, so this smattering won't last long.

Road trip

Sorry for my absence. It's been a couple of busy weeks, climaxed with a weekend trip out of town. My little family has started a newish Thanksgiving tradition: gathering the weekend before Thanksgiving. Then my kids can do what they wish on the actual holidy, be it spend time with in-laws, hunker down at home, etc.

I rent a place (sometimes AirBnB, sometimes VRBO) near where my son and his girl friend live, and the rest of us traipse up there for a couple of days of eating, shopping, hiking, etc. I've abandoned cooking the traditional turkey meal, so we mostly eat out. No one complains (or they don't dare).

This time we drove down to the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area to view the sandhill cranes. There is an observation deck, but that's as close as one can get to the birds (unless you are one of *those* people). There were *thousands* of them, filling the air with their gargling calls. We may go back in the spring, as that's when they execute their mating dance.

Since it was close by, we stopped to see the Dunn Bridge, which runs over the Kankakee River. My son is into bridges, especially covered bridges, while my daughter, a newish kayaker, eyed the river for a possible adventure.

As you may have noticed from previous posts, my yard art consists primarily of plastic pink flamingos. Recently, I've added red, white, and blue flamingos for summer display, and black sparkly ones for Halloween. My son and his girl friend found some xmas ones, which they presented to me this past weekend. I'm tickled (flamingo) pink!

I don't have much holiday decor, but I may have to get a spotlight or something, to showcase these latest additions once they are outside.

Cool and rainy, just how autumn should be

I won't let anyone complain about the cooler temps or wet weather, since it is a vast improvement over the dry 80-degree days that immediately preceeded this change. I still have a tendency to overdress, but I have started to change over the bedding from summer mode to winter mode - first the fleece blanket, next the flannel sheets, then the wool duvet. Aaah!

Speaking of autumn changes, the red, white, and blue flamingos have given way to the Halloween ones. I wish these glowed in the dark. Maybe I can paint them with some luminescent acrylic? My son and his girl friend are on the lookout for some winter flamingos. Otherwise, the yard will be sans flamingos until spring.

This sad bean is the total harvest from my experiment of growing bush beans in a container. One of my mistakes was not using a deep enough container. Another mistake was leaving the container where critters could reach it. I'm not sure if the culprit was a rabbit or a raccoon. Next year, I will do better. (My son's comment was, "Charlie Brown would be proud.")

This critter on my doorstep is a giant crane fly. I don't believe I've ever seen one in my yard before.

The carpet of sunflowers surprised me by blooming. I haven't noticed too many pollinators enjoying the late display. We are past our usual frost date, so I'm sure these are destined for an early death.

The goldenrod is at its peak. If you look closely, you will notice the plant tags in front of and between each goldenrod plant. Those are where the new aster plants are. May they and the goldenrod co-exist in peace.

While I hope my tulip tree survives the winter, I have a plan B in place: two red maple trees to take its place. I might even plant a third one on the other side of the yard. As far as I am concerned, one can never have too many trees. Yes, they drop their leaves in the fall. But look who benefits! (I credit my leaf mulch for bringing back fireflies to my backyard.)

(I don't know the original source of this poster)

Usually, I mow around the trees, breaking up the leaves but leaving them to nourish the trees. Or else the mower blows them onto the mulched beds. Either way, they decompose naturally.

Speaking of mulched beds, one of my dogs has taken to digging in the mulch and eating something - grubs? cicada larvae? I wanted to cover the mulch with bits of fencing (poultry wire and hardware cloth) to deter him, but I couldn't find much. Then I remembered that it was already in use as a dog-deterrent - it makes up a haphazard fence around the rain garden while those plants get established. Apparently, when one has dogs, one never has enough fencing.

Baby birds

The fledglings are everywhere. I've seen baby sparrows, starlings (which are VERY noisy), mourning doves, and bluebirds. Even though the young 'uns are almost as big as their parents, usually their coloring is a bit different and flying takes a lot more effort, as does sticking the landing. Fun to watch.

As promised last time, I transplanted the basil, tomato, and sweet potato vine plants to containers. I also transplanted some penstemon from a large container to the ground, as it had become too crowded to bloom. It's been hot and dry, so everything gets watered every day; the ninebark shrubs get a big drink when they start looking droopy.

I'm SO GLAD I had the landscaping redone last year. Maintaining it is now relatively easy. Every couple of weeks, I do some hand weeding, then treat the pernicious ones with herbicide. It's amazing what keeps trying to come back every year: burdock, trumpet vine, spearmint, forsithia, poison ivy, tree of heaven (should be called tree from hell - read about it here), etc. Very persistant.

One of the redbud trees is not looking its best. From one angle, it seems fine, but from another, not so much. I have some arborists coming to look at the tulip tree, so I'll ask about the redbud as well.

I discovered some calico scale on one of the witchhazel shrubs. Not sure if I should be worried about that.

On a positive note, here is a bee in the penstemon planted last year. It crawls all the way into the blossom in its pursuit of pollen.

Other current bloomers include the climbing rose that I periodically threaten to eliminate.

And columbine.

Flamingos are my thing, so I could not resist this patriotic trio from Menards. I'm sure some of my neighbors don't approve, but that's the point.

Otherwise, I have been busy with my summer job: chauffeuring my granddaughter hither and yon (this week, it was basketball camp). The heat has kept me mostly inside. Next week promises to be milder, although still no rain in the forecast.