Easing into autumn

After fall-like weather in August, it feels more summer-ish in September. But the sun is at a more southern angle, the sky is a paler shade of blue, and the nighttime temps are in the 50's and 60's, so it feels rather delightful. Not knowing how to dress is an issue I can live with.

The yard is easing into autumn as well. The lack of rain is causing some leaves to fall from dryness, and the lawn is on pause. The riot of summer is over, but a few things bear observation.

The Canada geese are migrating.

I love a parade!

Despite my neglect, this sweet potato vine is hanging in there.

Goldern arches

'Blue Muffin' continues to disappoint, but 'Chicago Lustre' is making up for that this year.

Bird food

I can barely get through the areas north (hostas and goldenrod) and south (norther sea oats, bee balm, goldenrod, rudbeckia, unwanted lambs quarter) of the house. I can't view the north side from inside the house (it runs along the garage), but I look out on this mess from bedroom and bathroom windows.

Bee Alley

Today's "word of the day" is "pensive" - and that is how I'm feeling.

What's it good for? Northern sea oats

Once upon a time, ornamental grasses were a new thing, or at least they were new to me. I believe that is when I first purchased northern sea oats (although I could be wrong about that). At any rate, they became a problem - spreading everywhere - so I moved some to the south side of the house where they can run rampant and eliminated the rest (mostly - an errant one pops up here and there in the front beds).

While whacking back the tops of the northern sea oats during my "fall cleanup" this spring, I got to wondering just what they are good for. Are they useless beauties or do they serve a function in the landscape?

According to this Missouri Botanical Garden post, northern sea oats attract birds, but which ones? The Avian Report says sparrows, juncos, chickadees, goldfinches, and mourning doves.

This Morton Arboretum post doesn't identify any uses for this plant.

The plant's Wiki page claims it is a "larval host plant for the Northern Pearly-Eye, and its seeds are food for birds and mammals. It is also eaten by the caterpillars of the pepper and salt skipper, Bell's roadside skipper, and bronzed roadside skipper butterflies.".

The entry at the Grow Native! website echoes its use as a host plant for the above insects and food source for birds and small mammals.

I've never noticed any caterpillars on my plants, nor have I observed birds or small mammels eating the seeds, but then I haven't really looked. Maybe I should pay more attention. At any rate, I'll keep them for now.

I *did* happen to notice this Gem moth the other day, across from the northern sea oats, on what is probably a rudbeckia. Initially, I didn't think I would be able to identify it, but upon closer inspection, saw the "eyes" on its wings.

Spring chores continue. I attacked the suckers at the base of backyard trees (have yet to tackle those in the front yard), pruned back the viburnum that were overtaking the witch hazel, and planted annuals and perennials. The only online purchases that remain to find a home are the heucheras, as I need to remove a couple of the aromatic asters first.

Installing a butterfly bush was on my list of goals for this year, but I have since reconsidered. It turns out that they are invasive. :-( Never mind that I can't seem to keep one alive. There are so-called "sterile" cultivars out there, but even those can still produce some viable seeds, up to 2% of 40,000 seeds per seed head. So scratch that item.

For Mother's Day, my daughter and I went kayaking at Chain O' Lakes State Park. The weather was perfect, it wasn't crowded, the water was high enough through the channels between the kettle lakes, there were no bugs, just turtles sunning on logs. We finished the excursion with dessert at the Magic Wand in Churubusco - I highly recommend the cherry cobbler with ice cream.

Fall colors

We finally had a light frost, followed by what used to be referred to as "Indian summer" - the last of the warm days (one assumes). The sweet potato vines are kaput, except for the one in the flamingo planter. Almost everything else is in autumn mode.

The catmint decided that all the warm weather we have been having means that it should bloom some more.

The serviceberry is putting on a show.

The 'Limelight' hydrangea has reached its pink stage.

The northern sea oats are past the copper stage, now a solid brown.

The swamp oak looks more robust leaf-wise than last year.

Sean from Sanctuary Natives returned to replace the butterflyweed that did not survive its first year. He says he doesn't often get to revisit installations, so we took a brief tour of the yard. Something that I don't think he realizes is that all his planning of what plants to put where will eventually come to naught, as the nodding onion, penstemon, and columbine will spread willy-nilly. I don't mind, just as I don't mind the grape hyacinth, 'Dragon's Blood" stonecrop, volunteer violets, and other plants that have hung on, despite the upheaval from last summer. They are all welcome.

Got floppy grass?

The other day, my SO and I visited Metea County Park to look for fungi. While exiting the nature center, I noticed that the grasses along the sidewalk had been tied up in neat little sheaves. How cute, I thought, but necessary? Then I realized that they had solved the problem of floppy ornamental grass!!!

Do your switchgrass and northern oats flop like this, threatening those approaching your front door?

And does your pampas grass sprawl, poking the resident lawn mowing son in the eye as he rounds the corner?

Well, grab some twine or yarn or, if you are really crafty, long dried blades of grass, and round 'em up. Tie the sheaves with a little bow and it looks quite festive. If the grass continues to flop, tether the sheaves to a pole sunk in the center of the clump.

Even the pampas grass can be brought to attention without looking too unnatural.

What do you think? Will this solution work for you? Try it and see if you like it.