tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45880749498049936872024-02-07T01:19:44.960-08:00Toronto gardening all year roundSee how different plants that grow in Toronto (AgCanada hardiness zone 6; USDA zone 5) look all year round and at different stages in their life cycles.Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.comBlogger411125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-57679619622910685432012-04-07T09:09:00.004-07:002012-04-07T09:29:17.020-07:00A walk in the forest<p>I haven't been blogging lately or even thinking much about plants because my son is seriously ill and it is weighing heavily on my mind, but yesterday I finally got out to my local forest, <a href="http://torontoparks.com/seton.html">E. T. Seton Park</a>.
<p>This is a forest under a lot of stress—huge quantities of litter (and one unofficial garbage dump area), loads of <a href="http://torontogardens.blogspot.ca/2009/08/warning-dog-strangling-vine-about-to.html">dog strangling vine</a>, some <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.ca/search/label/Alliaria%20petiolata">garlic mustard</a>, soil compaction from improvised footpaths/bicycle trails, serious erosion. I found only two plants in bloom (not surprising this early in the year), neither of them native:
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxVb9Wh3gkji1HOXL73xk8RwHGk2f3TbWbPkg4XgIdJPloo4A8siTPNtaJ-m-69RqQNkGYwKPJGWorxEIk6UM6GAm3bE0mZfoHJQJUN3s-Tlmv9CgDG9pD3eOMTMI8Iq0qI4G-PCzktP5/s1600/005.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 337px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxVb9Wh3gkji1HOXL73xk8RwHGk2f3TbWbPkg4XgIdJPloo4A8siTPNtaJ-m-69RqQNkGYwKPJGWorxEIk6UM6GAm3bE0mZfoHJQJUN3s-Tlmv9CgDG9pD3eOMTMI8Iq0qI4G-PCzktP5/s400/005.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Tussilago farfara.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728693666947847714" /></a>
<p>(above) <i>Tussilago farfara</i> (coltsfoot, <i>pas-d'âne</i>, <i>tussilage</i>).
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjfh6H3kOxoLWQX30io9SmctOyX5zctBptXZg9kojZxLcN1DtSlCyywaRjR1w__Puiqs1YnhKtxMvXyQu9ZF9BOEsLrjnPy52yk6bog4LstzfgN3eyWniZvu9k67ErwMeZG33sYk4aZpz/s1600/004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 338px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjfh6H3kOxoLWQX30io9SmctOyX5zctBptXZg9kojZxLcN1DtSlCyywaRjR1w__Puiqs1YnhKtxMvXyQu9ZF9BOEsLrjnPy52yk6bog4LstzfgN3eyWniZvu9k67ErwMeZG33sYk4aZpz/s400/004.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Narcissus.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728693658579625026" /></a>
<p>(above) <i>Narcissus</i> 'Tête-à-Tête' (I'm guessing). Clearly someone has done a bit of guerilla gardening. I don't think it is a good idea to introduce non-natives in wilderness areas, but this little clump of daffodils is the least of this forest's problems.
<p>I think this fern must be native, though I am lousy at fern identification:
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig03ugJOsZtqIbFsWS9i0rN6NJoRps4sLaRhMmVKeYBWleWTGVLntUyJ3dz9y-7VIMGzy53wWKXpHVWz1-GE2VapBD5yyBj1GZHNhQ4A0E96nQp9HZfJ1PCrm6WZ-8hG7MYDfQRn00GbAZ/s1600/007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig03ugJOsZtqIbFsWS9i0rN6NJoRps4sLaRhMmVKeYBWleWTGVLntUyJ3dz9y-7VIMGzy53wWKXpHVWz1-GE2VapBD5yyBj1GZHNhQ4A0E96nQp9HZfJ1PCrm6WZ-8hG7MYDfQRn00GbAZ/s400/007.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: mystery fern]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728693683585463122" /></a>
<p>And I was very pleased to see this native coming up:
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvZFVt7ja4768MTBXlhKmQAPFgpN0fcDK1XKNkB51K1Y3XXUJS-w-DJgsA8KCQ9rAd7djDys6yXkqPB4q4g0kxyTnhu54i5CK8Jt-i3tmHgRRRcbhf2QMtXrPTJmw8OGc2_0DJujDBBFW/s1600/006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvZFVt7ja4768MTBXlhKmQAPFgpN0fcDK1XKNkB51K1Y3XXUJS-w-DJgsA8KCQ9rAd7djDys6yXkqPB4q4g0kxyTnhu54i5CK8Jt-i3tmHgRRRcbhf2QMtXrPTJmw8OGc2_0DJujDBBFW/s400/006.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: leaves of Erythronium americanum.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728693676327364530" /></a>
<p>(above) <i>Erythronium americanum</i> (trout lily, dog-tooth violet, <i>érythrone d'Amérique</i>).
<p>The forest was disturbingly quiet—I heard only one bird (a red-winged blackbird, though I didn't see him or her). I saw only one black squirrel, how sad is that? I did see an intriguing sign that another, larger mammal was around recently:
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuArrHMA4RkfRsOLcT9cuhXrShS6Jhd1rKndhOUMX_Hbff-OFh8xScvuspqzw3CI1t3Qv6ZKMLjKODzWLHPFQQdVawDcRR2Zx0qoqNiyDYao5zwAJuT1HbKfYv1-npvwCuBx2wKLd0rdIR/s1600/002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuArrHMA4RkfRsOLcT9cuhXrShS6Jhd1rKndhOUMX_Hbff-OFh8xScvuspqzw3CI1t3Qv6ZKMLjKODzWLHPFQQdVawDcRR2Zx0qoqNiyDYao5zwAJuT1HbKfYv1-npvwCuBx2wKLd0rdIR/s400/002.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: gnawing marks on tree.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728693655006702738" /></a>
This doesn't look quite like the beaver gnaw marks I'm used to. Could it be from deer?Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-17085189644765525812011-08-30T06:21:00.000-07:002011-08-30T06:59:24.460-07:00What's blooming in High Park, late August<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJiKd-t_jSFfbdIZ0hgo0gnM8NFmzCr199zi1sybUfbYrVO0CdK3gF_br5lLJuNv_6GCMR4KJbaWkASmQOdl9e-SQQp7gHdoNSX7ESXYAewaXJSx_NjIOjsy6Zr3opYKCrzLDsHEmD5REB/s1600/010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJiKd-t_jSFfbdIZ0hgo0gnM8NFmzCr199zi1sybUfbYrVO0CdK3gF_br5lLJuNv_6GCMR4KJbaWkASmQOdl9e-SQQp7gHdoNSX7ESXYAewaXJSx_NjIOjsy6Zr3opYKCrzLDsHEmD5REB/s400/010.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Helianthus divaricatus.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646639233430196834" /></a>
Summer is at its climax, and there's lots to see in <a href="http://www.highparknature.org/wiki/wiki.php">High Park</a>! The current stars in the flowering native plant world are
<ul>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Desmodium%20canadense"><i>Desmodium canadense</i></a> (showy tick trefoil, <i>desmodie du Canada</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Helianthus%20divaricatus"><i>Helianthus divaricatus</i></a> (woodland sunflower, <i>hélianthe à feuilles étalées</i>, shown above)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Silphium%20perfoliatum"><i>Silphium perfoliatum</i></a> (cup plant, <i>plante bain d'oiseaux</i>)
<p>Other natives in bloom include
<ul>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Ambrosia%20artemisiifolia"><i>Ambrosia artemisiifolia</i></a> (ragweed, <i>petite herbe à poux</i>) (yippee)
<li><i>Ratibida pinnata</i> (grey-headed coneflower, <i>ratibida à feuilles pennées</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Rudbeckia%20hirta"><i>Rudbeckia hirta</i></a> (black eyed Susan, <i>rudbeckie dressée</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Verbena%20stricta"><i>Verbena stricta</i></a> (hoary vervain, <i>verveine veloutée</i>)
</ul>
The various <i>Solidago</i> spp. (goldenrods, <i>verges d'or</i>) are just getting started, but no sign of the <i>Symphyotrichum</i> spp. (asters) yet.
<p>Of course there are also various non-native wildflowers kicking around, such as
<ul>
<li><i>Cichoricum intybus</i> (chicory, <i>chicorée sauvage</i>)
<li><i>Daucus carota</i> (Queen Anne's Lace, <i>carotte sauvage</i>)
<li><i>Melilotus albus</i> (sweet clover, <i>mélilot blanc</i>)
<li><i>Trifolium repens</i> (white clover, <i>trèfle blanc</i>)
</ul>
<p>I spent part of Sunday morning weeding the <a href="http://www.highparknature.org/wiki/wiki.php?n=Explore.BoulevardBeds">Boulevard Beds</a>, which are a showcase for native plants near High Park's <a href="http://grenadiercafe.com/">Grenadier Restaurant</a>. Most of my efforts were focused on <i>Lunaria annua</i> (aka money plant, annual honesty, silver dollars, <i>lunaire annuelle</i>, or <i>monnaie-du-pape</i>).
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNkMWHRft6o2hyphenhyphenerK87xSSPLusfx7gQP2yf-SwvsbF9IsRUUToMRCoOwPynzDB6BBsVXvfoqRfYXY9abjXk6TpJhoemYdgU648CNmvD1yLshYs-VHtcQ5gWtmn9-EjQK9NbuenpYqGXYS/s1600/007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNkMWHRft6o2hyphenhyphenerK87xSSPLusfx7gQP2yf-SwvsbF9IsRUUToMRCoOwPynzDB6BBsVXvfoqRfYXY9abjXk6TpJhoemYdgU648CNmvD1yLshYs-VHtcQ5gWtmn9-EjQK9NbuenpYqGXYS/s400/007.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: garbage bag with various junk from Boulevard Beds, mostly seed pods from #&*!% Lunaria annua.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646646937576479378" /></a>
I used to think this plant was pretty. Those papery seedpods are a lot less pretty when you're trying to pick a million of them out from leaf litter. If you are thinking of growing this non-native in your garden, be warned! Harvest the ornamental seed pods promptly, before they fall on the ground and make life miserable.Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-21395611107268310602011-08-20T15:42:00.000-07:002011-08-20T15:55:46.511-07:00Can this Phalaenopsis be saved?<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalaenopsis"><i>Phalaenopsis</i></a> is a genus of orchids native to southeast Asia and northern Australia, with gorgeous flowers that supposedly resemble moths in the obsolete genus <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalaena"><i>Phalaena</i></a> (I don't see it myself), hence the English common name "moth orchid" (in French, <i>orchidée papillon</i>). I've been tempted to get one of these for years because they are gorgeous, there are many easy-care hybrids available, and they are considered safe for cats. However, my old apartment, being in a basement, had almost no natural light so I didn't think it was worth the investment.
<p>Now that I've moved, I have loads of natural light, but can't really justify buying an expensive plant this month on top of the expenses of moving. However, look what I found in the "as is" section at <a href="http://ikea.ca/">IKEA</a>!
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3KOLEJ7kff6pqRYAKwJ5T5DGETw2bgGlqlxSgTBMcW7Qyjl1oBZE1J-DdFWGvb3_swn153KScRi505te-eCRv_UDqNw1u6ukPGfqJ7flGANNnLtDBsjlqNo1JtLFou5_6zqOXtky3pt5u/s1600/001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 206px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3KOLEJ7kff6pqRYAKwJ5T5DGETw2bgGlqlxSgTBMcW7Qyjl1oBZE1J-DdFWGvb3_swn153KScRi505te-eCRv_UDqNw1u6ukPGfqJ7flGANNnLtDBsjlqNo1JtLFou5_6zqOXtky3pt5u/s400/001.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: sadly neglected dried out Phalaenopsis.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643072599318471234" /></a>
<p>Take a look at the price tag!
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG14tgkuhvazS4xuIhvkL4HQ3fVl3LWjqpd3oopQlE8sKTBIwK-WZ-m43v6azURjEW1Opv30xQ4O9I_-VReU7WAOnjl7SJwPoL6Co705uIaHj2l7bmAMBrUG74fBspgeC9hTGGRwepPMLC/s1600/002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG14tgkuhvazS4xuIhvkL4HQ3fVl3LWjqpd3oopQlE8sKTBIwK-WZ-m43v6azURjEW1Opv30xQ4O9I_-VReU7WAOnjl7SJwPoL6Co705uIaHj2l7bmAMBrUG74fBspgeC9hTGGRwepPMLC/s400/002.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: label of Phalaenopsis from IKEA. Price marked down from $14.99 to $1.40.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643072589155491730" /></a>
<p>At 90% off, I couldn't resist the temptation to resuscitate this poor plant.
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNscB18clpdcka4svU9r1yOlb1t1OuJSJXMe4wPjjrwgL3AKfx7fBXBtLioPlFlG7p5wYpP5M149m3yAWjpSwctIYTqt0RO_xxikEWpIg_1lHNetEQcgSnPizvEU8-sDx9N2-hvpJn1W2I/s1600/006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 286px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNscB18clpdcka4svU9r1yOlb1t1OuJSJXMe4wPjjrwgL3AKfx7fBXBtLioPlFlG7p5wYpP5M149m3yAWjpSwctIYTqt0RO_xxikEWpIg_1lHNetEQcgSnPizvEU8-sDx9N2-hvpJn1W2I/s400/006.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Phalaenopsis with dead leaves, dead flowers, and spent scape removed.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643072584931489410" /></a>
<p>Since the plant is in poor shape (the growing medium was completely dry and the leaves were shriveling), I decided to completely remove the flowering scape and let it have a good long recovery period before blooming again. I'm not sure what that grey thing sticking out is—a root? Since it didn't want to come off, I'm leaving it on for now. Perhaps a reader who actually knows something about Phals could advise?Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-4952241480120338732011-08-20T14:27:00.000-07:002011-08-20T14:49:58.186-07:00Plants that survive neglectIt has been a very busy summer, and not in the ways I had planned.
<p>In early June, my wonderful landlords of the last 12 years told me they were moving to Scarborough or Markham for work-related reasons. They had to sell the house my apartment was in, and of course it turned out that the new owners did not want a tenant. Yikes!
<p>Of course the Toronto housing market is difficult for anyone, let alone a single mom with a very low income. So my summer so far has been spent looking for a place to live, packing, and now unpacking.
<p>Unfortunately the plants at the garden at my old place suffered a lot of neglect, and the crazy heat wave of July took its toll on many plants. Here are a few of the survivors (photos taken July 19):
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHSdSEa-Wv0UsSkbUErTmQ1MkQOrM3JIbOYSE6fa6VZTcQpCbjaqC9xWjvnvzpE4SQsMIJZKr4f-aYd5Yx-jJ904Sr0twgFKds2kTvlLNqdS1MOtKwmIg8eSea_RIxdgkuorYu3UzMAk6/s1600/004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHSdSEa-Wv0UsSkbUErTmQ1MkQOrM3JIbOYSE6fa6VZTcQpCbjaqC9xWjvnvzpE4SQsMIJZKr4f-aYd5Yx-jJ904Sr0twgFKds2kTvlLNqdS1MOtKwmIg8eSea_RIxdgkuorYu3UzMAk6/s400/004.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Cuphea 'Lavender Lace']"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643053418465380802" /></a>
<p><i>Cuphea hyssopifolia</i> 'Lavender Lace' (Mexican heather, <i>étoile du Mexique</i>)
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4X3vGi4qQBKiBLlYAcJbM7IBWEditwKUCApCdrYbTaXb_5Ug4MhbhmITTPKY7piltbqI55e6ell-VNuqyo9Gu_edVPf4u2XBFKcTUdnK-LkmQtSYRti9j0X9-dFSn-6NXsuxRrP13DYg/s1600/003.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4X3vGi4qQBKiBLlYAcJbM7IBWEditwKUCApCdrYbTaXb_5Ug4MhbhmITTPKY7piltbqI55e6ell-VNuqyo9Gu_edVPf4u2XBFKcTUdnK-LkmQtSYRti9j0X9-dFSn-6NXsuxRrP13DYg/s400/003.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Dianthus.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643053407819660482" /></a>
<p>Some kind of annual <i>Dianthus</i>.
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjaCTQLO-RStwQmyUGiiNdrzE8l8aGKaRhc5sCigjNCVYFG-XBPtwsjxpT9XMRWYQTvJ98ZknICRK8-KEf97_RN0JYYSjEUA8SBe_oQD9vK5IHOerM_Sqp97207Y_6tey0t2qn4kpiDEv/s1600/007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 295px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjaCTQLO-RStwQmyUGiiNdrzE8l8aGKaRhc5sCigjNCVYFG-XBPtwsjxpT9XMRWYQTvJ98ZknICRK8-KEf97_RN0JYYSjEUA8SBe_oQD9vK5IHOerM_Sqp97207Y_6tey0t2qn4kpiDEv/s400/007.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Echinacea purpurea.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643053438687627250" /></a>
<p><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Echinacea%20purpurea"><i>Echinacea purpurea</i></a> (purple coneflower, <i>echinacée pourpre</i>)
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj32Roh-NliY41BlnzO2ybTbanr4SJKh8AJctaox2qss2qiizyit-2B0hcnLGksN4mPShRc8RhI4UZIORaGR5iJ8tdSfQoWL0gML1EParYXT23QGvqkk_MbXQX6G9XZZ2AXYCo332DhZW_/s1600/009.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 369px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj32Roh-NliY41BlnzO2ybTbanr4SJKh8AJctaox2qss2qiizyit-2B0hcnLGksN4mPShRc8RhI4UZIORaGR5iJ8tdSfQoWL0gML1EParYXT23QGvqkk_MbXQX6G9XZZ2AXYCo332DhZW_/s400/009.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Glandularia hybrid.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643053568456319378" /></a>
<i>Glandularia</i> hybrid (verbena, <i>verveine</i>)
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8cZf-QYgIE7VP4_5euB_82LXCJqNvGX3vNfbKoW_hxm5KGx3VjYVSdYLaIwz6naOmy4JbiTtwAjZWVbfsz1RIyAaWsVLMSJto6Yc6GZevVw-0sGIFJd0CH8fCKv4BKO5n1Izy6df8hg5/s1600/005.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8cZf-QYgIE7VP4_5euB_82LXCJqNvGX3vNfbKoW_hxm5KGx3VjYVSdYLaIwz6naOmy4JbiTtwAjZWVbfsz1RIyAaWsVLMSJto6Yc6GZevVw-0sGIFJd0CH8fCKv4BKO5n1Izy6df8hg5/s400/005.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Rudbeckia hirta]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643053428289476466" /></a>
<p><i>Rudbeckia hirta</i> (black-eyed Susan, <i>rudbeckie dressée</i>) and some kind of <i>Mentha</i> (mint, <i>menthe</i>)
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq20Zdwy_tSi_RjuTkZbKtytm6tVIHmrPz7xc9w-75AA6jymjRNkkkgySElZ1uzsFEYt7ghO6uwrCNT1jRXTZC9m6vomojoCylU63lndG3dVjKi3KcHs8jF4OyzY2OarDkdan9KwfrQGYD/s1600/006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 290px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq20Zdwy_tSi_RjuTkZbKtytm6tVIHmrPz7xc9w-75AA6jymjRNkkkgySElZ1uzsFEYt7ghO6uwrCNT1jRXTZC9m6vomojoCylU63lndG3dVjKi3KcHs8jF4OyzY2OarDkdan9KwfrQGYD/s400/006.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Zinnia 'Thumbelina'.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643053431058869010" /></a>
<p><i>Zinnia</i> 'Thumbelina'
<p>Unsurprisingly, I was not lucky enough to find another home with access to a garden. At least, not an outdoor garden. But my new apartment has huge windows facing southeast, so I now have the opportunity to try my hand at indoor gardening. In particular, I want to see what kind of food plants are willing to tolerate growing indoors.
<p>And of course, I will continue to get my native plant fix through my volunteer work at <a href="http://www.highparknature.org/wiki/wiki.php">High Park</a>.Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-48284185273698341692011-05-12T11:38:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:25:34.212-07:00Trilliums are blooming in High Park right now!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXR6f73ao_i196fCJUfIu7WeNAa9RyZV1WfwIAVoWYn2QE1-XauiuqBUGQRqpk7-bVsF74iqTkKAM-2sj3ZL29iLedJ4CR9NpAHSQGuT4_J8d0zAP4xrwkFfXDpmV_YcJZmQYRmjK3_tD/s1600/001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXR6f73ao_i196fCJUfIu7WeNAa9RyZV1WfwIAVoWYn2QE1-XauiuqBUGQRqpk7-bVsF74iqTkKAM-2sj3ZL29iLedJ4CR9NpAHSQGuT4_J8d0zAP4xrwkFfXDpmV_YcJZmQYRmjK3_tD/s400/001.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: clump of Trillium grandiflorum in High Park."id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605900758525203730" /></a>Torontonians, now's the time to see our provincial flower, <i>Trillium grandiflorum</i> (white trillium, <i>trille blanc</i>) blooming in the wilds of High Park! You'll find them in the woods in the south west corner of the park. There are also lots of <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Podophyllum%20peltatum"><i>Podophyllum peltatum</i></a> (mayapple, <i>podophylle pelté</i>) in bud, and some <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Tiarella%20cordifolia"><i>Tiarella cordifolia</i></a> (foam flower, <i>tiarelle cordifoliée</i>), also in bud.Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-88196659597743679082011-04-15T09:10:00.000-07:002011-04-15T09:55:36.841-07:00Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, April 2011Once again it's <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/2011/04/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-april-2011.html">Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day</a>. Looking back at <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html">my April Bloom Day post from last year</a>, I can see that spring really is coming along more slowly this year, it's not just my imagination. Last year I had a couple of native blooms for April 15: <i>Waldsteinia fragaroides</i> (barren strawberry <i>waldsteinie faux-fraisier</i>) and <i>Mertensia virginica</i> (Virginia bluebells, <i>mertensie de Virginie</i>), but there's no sign of them today, not even foliage (which worries me).
I do have some flowers blooming today at least:
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiP_uRPpOBll2SgCXyUAdDPKCudodMXf-4ipwd4E31iOjFwnYWkfUoSWnzxlDLUuogrvQzp_JR6znPNOIZZMHYl8gL0Xqewi0BFCvDOTAy2MdBlTD0ujXlJfZIOfxICc6qZmyxsuMwRjHQ/s1600/Chionodoxa.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiP_uRPpOBll2SgCXyUAdDPKCudodMXf-4ipwd4E31iOjFwnYWkfUoSWnzxlDLUuogrvQzp_JR6znPNOIZZMHYl8gL0Xqewi0BFCvDOTAy2MdBlTD0ujXlJfZIOfxICc6qZmyxsuMwRjHQ/s400/Chionodoxa.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Chionodoxa forbesii.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595848714886325314" /></a>
<p><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Chionodoxa%20forbesii"><i>Chionodoxa forbesii</i></a> (glory of the snow, <i>gloire des neiges</i>).
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdP7gMKBYwUvcIdCQvXbcT75pXMCUhbPsqjPz77Wy5o85xyd0flP1PXXAm8uj-iMPRe6tA6GzHmeYGNd4xQWFhA3C27LGVnuLYE3S27ackn-3j3Q3zeCH0qgJp590TmVunYzeWQMjH_-_/s1600/Primula.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 337px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdP7gMKBYwUvcIdCQvXbcT75pXMCUhbPsqjPz77Wy5o85xyd0flP1PXXAm8uj-iMPRe6tA6GzHmeYGNd4xQWFhA3C27LGVnuLYE3S27ackn-3j3Q3zeCH0qgJp590TmVunYzeWQMjH_-_/s400/Primula.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Primula hybrida.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595850501661576626" /></a>
<p>The <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Primula"><i>Primula hybrida</i></a> (primrose, <i>primevère</i>) which my landlords got as a disposable houseplant a couple of years ago is a bit of a mess, but at this time of the year I am grateful to see any flowers at all!
<p>Behind and to the right you can see a bit of foliage from our native <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Tiarella%20cordifolia"><i>Tiarella cordifolia</i></a> (foamflower, <i>tiarelle cordifoliée</i>). I think it kept its foliage all winter (hard to know for sure what's going on under the snow). It's sending out runners like a strawberry! I will be very happy if it spreads.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gdx2tM131qjiUkr9IQH6mKGVQt_kQAdbNOXj6A8wn1K0VSoIqwTt-Q0Ugr-ZEPyEabZLsZq6209o_5fhy4v1i-T0Ec7EEWY0y7hJDD2MUs5NxpXFW5cfF9Lcdqwoksiv-xyZW3P7GaYx/s1600/Puschkinia.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 302px; height: 376px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gdx2tM131qjiUkr9IQH6mKGVQt_kQAdbNOXj6A8wn1K0VSoIqwTt-Q0Ugr-ZEPyEabZLsZq6209o_5fhy4v1i-T0Ec7EEWY0y7hJDD2MUs5NxpXFW5cfF9Lcdqwoksiv-xyZW3P7GaYx/s400/Puschkinia.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Puschkinia libanotica.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595851574867153570" /></a>
<p>The <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Puschkinia%20libanotica"><i>Puschkinia libanotica</i></a> (snowdrift, <i>scille de Liban</i>) is not "drifting" at all. I wonder how long it took the neighbours to establish <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/2008/04/puschkinia-libanotica-flowers.html">this beautiful mass of snowdrift</a>? Since this isn't native, I guess I should be glad it's not prolific since that means it's less of a risk to wild areas.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QMwFlVqmkE_MxWQe68fRChxJww3rSQUqWL1eEh5rvWKK65HMjQJU8gWiSdAN6A9oktX0T3BJi2oQ06D90UQsIzrhNFU62sKycffI_TS6RFPnbyAsBHGPMhWNcNlmujnY-CRKJF_VAROH/s1600/Scilla.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QMwFlVqmkE_MxWQe68fRChxJww3rSQUqWL1eEh5rvWKK65HMjQJU8gWiSdAN6A9oktX0T3BJi2oQ06D90UQsIzrhNFU62sKycffI_TS6RFPnbyAsBHGPMhWNcNlmujnY-CRKJF_VAROH/s400/Scilla.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: clump of Scilla siberica.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595846060127407650" /></a>
<i>Scilla siberica</i> (Siberian squill, <i>scille de Sibérie</i>) is continuing to spread. I didn't realize at the time we rescued it from a neighbour's garden that it is <a href="http://www.serontario.org/pdfs/exotics.pdf">an invasive species here in Southern Ontario</a> and my landlords' kids would be upset now if I tried to remove it—not to mention that it is very difficult to remove. I will be deadheading. If you don't have this in your garden, don't plant it!
<p>Behind and to the right of the scilla you can see some <i>Aquilegia</i> sp. (columbine, <i>ancolie</i>) foliage. The columbines in the front yard haven't bloomed yet and I can't remember if they are our native <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Aquilegia%20canadensis"><i>Aquilegia canadensis</i></a> (wild columbine, <i>ancolie du Canada</i>) (my favourite flower) or the non-native <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Aquilegia%20vulgaris"><i>Aquilegia vulgaris</i></a> (also nice, and the bees like it). Maybe this year I'll find out!
<p>Barbara Pintozzi at <a href="http://www.beautifulwildlifegarden.com/">Beautiful Wildlife Garden</a> wrote about using <a href="http://www.beautifulwildlifegarden.com/minor-bulbs-in-the-beautiful-wildlife-garden.html">non-native minor bulbs to attract pollinators</a>. I was hoping that the local bees and friends would visit these early flowers, but I haven't seen one! Fellow Torontonians, have you seen pollinators visit early non-native flowers (like crocus, squill, winter aconite, etc.) in your garden? Or are they just too early?
<p>Thanks to Carol from <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/">May Dreams Gardens</a> for hosting <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/2011/04/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-april-2011.html">Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day</a>. Be sure to visit her and check out what's blooming today in gardens all over the world!Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-66276459284552341502011-04-13T15:22:00.000-07:002011-04-13T15:32:38.239-07:00NANPS spring plant sale pre-ordering now open!<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRG8ia8nh7-cJTJevLyRnLq6lkw8GB2Fh3qaQ00fjrzxBzl5YIXkdqeSEQwdD-Oe1u7apzXg3aYB6IMQTr53xnfRal6ERn65pMXAStkKbJf3kCYzAxLIEu09COh1JgyuZoYUuAyj16Xek/s1600/penstemon+hirsutus+closeup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRG8ia8nh7-cJTJevLyRnLq6lkw8GB2Fh3qaQ00fjrzxBzl5YIXkdqeSEQwdD-Oe1u7apzXg3aYB6IMQTr53xnfRal6ERn65pMXAStkKbJf3kCYzAxLIEu09COh1JgyuZoYUuAyj16Xek/s400/penstemon+hirsutus+closeup.jpg" border="0" alt="[Photo: close-up of Penstemon hirsutus blooms.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476823631261230546" /></a>
<p>The <a href="http://nanps.org/">North American Native Plant Society</a>'s <a href="http://nanps.org/plant/sale.aspx">annual spring plant sale</a> is coming up! This is the biggest native plant sale in all of Canada, and the best source for locally ethically grown native plants for Toronto gardeners. You can preorder online now, or just do what I do and shop on the day itself. The prices are very reasonable ($5 for most forbs, $12 for most trees) and the selection is amazing! (The photo above is the <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Penstemon%20hirsutus"><i>Penstemon hirsutus</i></a> (hairy beardtongue, <i>penstémon hirsute</i>) which I bought at last year's sale. It started blooming within weeks of planting it in my garden!Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-54442849276791025342011-04-07T08:51:00.000-07:002011-04-07T11:16:03.336-07:00Native alternatives to butterfly bushRecently at the <a href="http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/">Birds & Blooms blogs</a>, Carole Sevilla Brown wrote about <a href="http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/2011/04/06/butterfly-bush-beware/">the problems butterfly bush is causing in many areas of the United States</a>. Although commonly recommended for butterfly gardeners, the most commonly available butterfly bush in the horticultural trade, <i>Buddleja davidii</i>, is native to east Asia and is an invasive species in many areas of the United States.
<p>So far, Canada's cold climate has apparently prevented <i>B. davidii</i> from becoming naturalized here, except in parts of British Columbia (Tallent-Halsell and Watt, 2009). However, each mature butterfly bush can produce millions of seeds, and these seeds can be spread by cars and trains (Tallent-Halsell and Watt, 2009). So a butterfly bush in Toronto could contribute to the problems our neighbours to the south are facing. In addition, climate change is likely to make Ontario's climate milder and therefore put our wild spaces at greater risk from butterfly bush invasion.
<p>Luckily, there are many alternatives for butterfly gardeners. Growing native species avoids the problems of habitat destruction caused by invasives, and can provide better attraction for butterflies by providing food for caterpillars as well as adult butterflies (Tallamy 2009).
<p>With that in mind, here are a few flowering shrubs native to Ontario, which I found through <a href="http://wildflower.org/">Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center</a>'s <a href="http://wildflower.org/plants/">Plants Database</a>. This is a great resource for wildlife gardeners throughout the United States and Canada; you can search by state/province, habit, lifespan, light needs, moisture needs, bloom season, bloom colour, and height! Each species description at the Wildflower Center's database includes a wealth of information, including which butterflies' and moths' larvae feed on each plant, and links to their descriptions at <a href="http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/">Butterflies and Moths of North America</a> (BAMONA).
<h3>Native Ontario shrubs to attact butterflies</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4dmg/Trees/Shrubs/junebrry.htm"><i>Amelanchier alnifolia</i></a> (Saskatoon serviceberry): fragrant white flowers in spring. Berries are red to black in colour, attract birds, also edible for humans. Autumn foliage is yellow, orange, or red.
<li><a href="http://www.critsite.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_id=100076"><i>Amorpha canescens</i></a> (leadplant): small shrub with spikes of striking dark purple flowers in early summer; attractive silvery foliage.
<li><a href="http://wisplants.uwsp.edu/scripts/detail.asp?SpCode=CEAHER"><i>Ceanothus herbaceus</i></a> (Jersey tea): umbels of white flowers in spring to early summer. Larval host for <a href="http://www.nearctica.com/butter/plate25/Emartial.htm">mottled duskywing</a> (<i>Erynnis martialis</i>).
<li><a href="http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/potd/2008/08/cephalanthus_occidentalis_var_occidentalis.php"><i>Cephalanthus occidentalis</i></a> (buttonbush): nifty spherical clusters of white flowers in the summer. Nutlets attract birds.
<li><a href="http://www.finegardening.com/plantguide/lindera-benzoin-spicebush.aspx"><i>Lindera benzoin</i></a> (northern spicebush): pale yellow flowers before leaves emerge (male plants have showier flowers). Yellow autumn foliage; red berries on female plants. Larval host for <a href="http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/construct-species-page-inframe.asp?sp=Papilio-troilus">spicebush swallowtail</a> (<i>Papilio troilus</i>), <a href="http://www.duke.edu/~jspippen/butterflies/easterntigerswallowtail.htm">eastern tiger swallowtail</a> (<i>Papilio glaucus</i>), and <a href="http://www.cbif.gc.ca/spp_pages/misc_moths/jpgs/image_e.php?image%5B%5D=107764.jpg%2CCallosamia+promethea&image%5B%5D=107764a.jpg%2CCallosamia+promethea">promethea silkmoth</a> (<i>Callosamia promethea</i>).
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/chesapeake/plant/1286.htm"><i>Spiraea alba</i></a> (white meadowsweet): spikes of white flowers in the summer, yellow autumn foliage. Larval host for <a href="http://www.duke.edu/~jspippen/butterflies/springazure.htm">spring azure</a> (<i>Celastrina ladon</i>).
<li><a href="http://www.florelaurentienne.com/flore/Groupes/Spermatophytes/Angiospermes/Dicotyles/050_Rosacees/08_Spiraea/tomentosa.htm"><i>Spiraea tomentosa</i></a> (steeplebush): steeple-shaped clusters of pink flowers in summer. Larval host for <a href="http://www.cbif.gc.ca/spp_pages/misc_moths/jpgs/image_e.php?image%5B%5D=107769.jpg%2CHyalophora+columbia+gloveri&image%5B%5D=107768.jpg%2CHyalophora+columbia&image%5B%5D=107768a.jpg%2CHyalophora+columbia&image%5B%5D=107770.jpg%2CHyalophora+euryalus&image%5B%5D=107770a.jpg%2CHyalophora+euryalus">Columbia silkmoth</a> (<i>Hyalophora columbia</i>).
<li><a href="http://www.delawarewildflowers.org/plant.php?id=2108&mode=F&famid=199"><i>Viburnum acerifolium</i></a> (maple-leaf viburnum): clusters of white flowers in spring and summer followed by red to black berries which attract birds. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53817483@N00/463481623/in/set-72157605886347558">Pinkish-purple autumn foliage!</a> Larval host for <a href="http://www.duke.edu/~jspippen/butterflies/springazure.htm">spring azure</a> (<i>Celastrina ladon</i>).
</ul>
<p>I'm so glad that Carole wrote her original post, as I didn't realize that butterfly bush was such a problem, nor did I know much about these lovely native shrubs that we can grow instead. I've got seeds for buttonbush stratifying right now, and I plan to look into some of these other shrubs as well. Please click the links for each plant to see gorgeous photos; I hope you'll be as excited about these plants as I am and try some in your garden!
<h3>Works cited</h3>
<ul>
<li>Nita Tallent-Halsell and Michael S. Watt (2009). <a href="http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3474/is_3_75/ai_n39298614/?tag=content;col1">The Invasive <i>Buddleja davidii</i></a>. <i>The Botanical Review</i>, September.
<li>Douglas W. Tallamy (2009). <cite>Bringing nature home: How native plants sustain wildlife in our gardens</cite> (updated and expanded edition) Portland, OR: Timber Press.
</ul>Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-1746400813527722952011-03-01T20:41:00.000-08:002011-03-01T20:51:48.948-08:00Can you recognize these seeds?I try to get photos of my plants at different stages of life, which means I end up with a lot of dull photos like these. So to add a bit of intrigue, can you guess what species these seeds are? Right now they are indistinguishable to the naked eye, but once they get going they will be quite distinctive!
<h4>Mystery plant A</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuK8jaaN0bdcNjPuGvN60yI_BFNgfELX_ZJ0UcKMpdbgmgv5RLez-F0jXUSZxrqOPbjGnfnwr_THdwrZ1K1N_zg3taKTjbhxOAmXXpBVstDPgBVysuAro2GKo6d_cPVw0Cw_WhzgXNFEC/s1600/002_blur.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuK8jaaN0bdcNjPuGvN60yI_BFNgfELX_ZJ0UcKMpdbgmgv5RLez-F0jXUSZxrqOPbjGnfnwr_THdwrZ1K1N_zg3taKTjbhxOAmXXpBVstDPgBVysuAro2GKo6d_cPVw0Cw_WhzgXNFEC/s400/002_blur.jpg" border="0" alt="[Photo: Seeds of mystery plant A.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579338755741848978" /></a>This familiar member of the mint family is grown for its decorative foliage. In its native land (southeast Asia) it's a perennial, but here in Canada it is treated as an annual.
<h4>Mystery plant B</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJWgrZ4JYmoJkhKyEwfxh8D6YPBqrL6gaq-nmnzxHVfqoMiN4aCATVVo4C6oB4JNq6eXQHMCR8GU5KgtFwnTHzsOqvam2lBsf2X5Xug-D7isXgNf3cMZeDJe2o_zgVuBJ2PkPmM9Gc5Yf/s1600/006_blur.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJWgrZ4JYmoJkhKyEwfxh8D6YPBqrL6gaq-nmnzxHVfqoMiN4aCATVVo4C6oB4JNq6eXQHMCR8GU5KgtFwnTHzsOqvam2lBsf2X5Xug-D7isXgNf3cMZeDJe2o_zgVuBJ2PkPmM9Gc5Yf/s400/006_blur.jpg" border="0" alt="[Photo: Seeds of mystery plant B.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579338751808784306" /></a>This member of the borage family has attractive dark green foliage, but is grown for its fragrant dark purple flowers. Here in Canada it's treated as an annual, but in its homeland, Peru, it is a perennial shrub (or sub-shrub depending on who you ask).Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-51565530807199547402011-03-01T20:23:00.000-08:002011-03-01T20:27:57.689-08:00Gazania sprouts!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLDXipVGmdVPTpNA4ZYYnDDamyILHVPA5g-DQtnVvBCprceQiYZXclgx1MOwwtqpsYHUU-3LaTNqLa2cCAvmGjIpwzLT8ksZ8TPJJmGec8bWDuqL0DTUp45fNDvlsWVlSTplrlCrAx7fW/s1600/001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 325px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLDXipVGmdVPTpNA4ZYYnDDamyILHVPA5g-DQtnVvBCprceQiYZXclgx1MOwwtqpsYHUU-3LaTNqLa2cCAvmGjIpwzLT8ksZ8TPJJmGec8bWDuqL0DTUp45fNDvlsWVlSTplrlCrAx7fW/s400/001.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Gazania rigens sprouts!]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579333616355371170" /></a>
Tonight I decided to peek at the <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/2011/02/first-annual-seeds-of-2011-gazania.html">gazania seeds I started last week</a> (the packet said to keep them in the dark for 7 to 14 days so I was deliberately <i>not</i> looking at them). It's a good thing I did because as you can see they have all sprouted, and it looks like they've been up for a while. They're awfully etiolated but hopefully they'll be able to recover now that they're under the lights.Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-13798838105904808702011-02-21T16:50:00.000-08:002011-03-01T20:50:47.884-08:00First annual seeds of 2011: Gazania rigens 'Daybreak Pink Shades'<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfU1PAAbg1sbaoN53vhxFwd4BnWYBa0rO370XEA4ZSbvaBHvcxV_cu2bXY1uB28Cd9TbGUhxyY3sVK2gTLn_jgZ_gqTdjH3l98w0c32j0-_ILfeiZz0Kqxan4VvRfHakvxij1c9jtqkvR/s1600/009.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfU1PAAbg1sbaoN53vhxFwd4BnWYBa0rO370XEA4ZSbvaBHvcxV_cu2bXY1uB28Cd9TbGUhxyY3sVK2gTLn_jgZ_gqTdjH3l98w0c32j0-_ILfeiZz0Kqxan4VvRfHakvxij1c9jtqkvR/s400/009.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Gazania rigens seeds, with Canadian penny for scale.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576311825691365154" /></a>While native plants are my passion, I can't resist growing some annuals from seeds as well, especially since most natives need a few years to grow from seed to flowering size.
<p>This is my first attempt at growing <i>Gazania rigens</i> (gazania or treasure-flower, <i>gazanie</i>) from seed (or any other way). Gazanias are low growing brightly coloured daisies (<a href="http://www.stokeseeds.com/product.aspx?ProductID=40597&CategoryID=281">these ones are pink</a>), and I'm hoping that like other daisies they will be attractive to pollinators as well as humans. <i>G. rigens</i> is native to South Africa and Mozambique, and <a href="http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Gazania~rigens">grows as a weed in Australia</a>, but <a href="http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=GARI2">has not naturalized in North America</a>.
<p>I was surprised by the pale yellow colour of these seeds; they don't look ripe somehow. According to the package they need a week or two of darkness to germinate, which is just as well as I haven't figured out where I'm going to set my lights up yet. They're currently sown in flats hidden in one of my kitchen cupboards!
<p>PS: The natives I've started so far are <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Agastache%20foeniculum"><i>Agastache foeniculum</i></a>, <i>Allium cernuum</i>, <i>Anemone virginiana</i>, <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Aquilegia%20canadensis"><i>Aquilegia canadensis</i></a>, <i>Asclepias</i> sp. (<i><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Asclepias%20syriaca">syriaca</a></i>?), <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/2009/07/asclepias-tuberosa-starting-to-bloom.html"><i>Asclepias tuberosa</i></a>, <i>Baptisia australis</i>, <i>Cephalanthus occidentalis</i>, <i>Desmodium canadense</i>, and <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Helenium%20autumnale"><i>Helenium autumnale</i></a>. They're stratifying in flats outdoors, hopefully they will get enough cold weather before spring starts in earnest.Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-43076215768066479122011-02-02T11:24:00.000-08:002011-02-02T11:55:53.394-08:00Snowy owl in the garden!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLosein3m1xqJsT9MFhB3lGgKBoRYXuja9eyGRbwVLqmf6lnaDZTAyfjk70dljTmM-aCTJ6skq1nn9wkgsdqHo0jcJoAIS-nadU3915ICyW1DeuFwzLKa2CbJnWP2ojNnmBp_I83HPUO8/s1600/004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 296px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLosein3m1xqJsT9MFhB3lGgKBoRYXuja9eyGRbwVLqmf6lnaDZTAyfjk70dljTmM-aCTJ6skq1nn9wkgsdqHo0jcJoAIS-nadU3915ICyW1DeuFwzLKa2CbJnWP2ojNnmBp_I83HPUO8/s400/004.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: owl snow sculpture © Nicky Sztybel and Rosemary Amey.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569175466809849314" /></a>Although theoretically we live in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nyctea_scandiaca_dis.png">its winter range</a>, I'm not sure if snowy owls (<i>Bubo scandiacus</i>, <i>harfang des neiges</i>) live in Toronto any more. (Apparently there are some owls here though, check out these <a href="http://www.jeaniron.ca/Owls/2011/owlsTO.htm">sweet photos of owls in Toronto by Jean Iron</a>.)
<p>Nicky and I took advantage of the recent <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZEMRAWaVr8">"extreme" snowstorm here in Toronto</a> (which would have been considered perfectly ordinary February weather where I grew up in the Ottawa Valley) to create this snow scupture (obviously we weren't looking at an image of a real snowy owl when we did it!). The coloured parts were done with <a href="http://www.wilton.com/">Wilton</a> <a href="http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E30B2D9-475A-BAC0-5D5C3DB846DFD354&killnav=1">Icing Colors</a> in Lemon Yellow, Black, and mixture of Lemon Yellow and Christmas Red, available at <a href="http://www.bulkbarn.ca/en-ca/index.html">Bulk Barn</a>. I don't know if I'll try adding colour to a snow sculpture again; the colour kept bleeding, and I kept having to scoop out areas and replace them with fresh snow.
<p>Here's a nostalgia-inducing video about the snowy owl from the <a href="http://www.cwf-fcf.org/en/index.html">Canadian Wildlife Federation</a>'s classic <a href="http://www.hww.ca/index_e.asp">Hinterland Who's Who</a> series of PSAs.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2RZGI3T6pPE" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen></iframe>
(Regular readers, I'm sorry I've been away from the blog so long. My fibromyalgia flared up in early autumn and for a while I forgot that I even had a garden, never mind a garden blog! And of course although this blog is supposed to be about gardening all year round, winter is not really prime gardening time in Toronto. But I'm feeling better now and have a whole backlog of photos to post, and there are exciting things coming up in terms of <a href="http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/hort/news/hortmatt/2005/10hrt05a4.htm">garlic mustard</a> eradication in <a href="http://www.highparknature.org/wiki/wiki.php">High Park</a> later this year!)Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-78744632181490640012010-08-15T12:51:00.001-07:002010-08-15T13:49:33.252-07:00Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, August 2010August is prime blooming time here in Toronto!
<h2>Natives</h2>
<ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeMx93kAdJ3i2EWquq1q-SIKIpdXfTixC3tY-bosMY1QsSWXvovYw9qh6VVny4t5khxAZjxTx6BFBl6tS8t-s9WesbGrVb5DYU6_c63HiqYdVt-5WqS3psSTuadBL-Be6O6s-C9MEI_xKT/s1600/Agastache+foeniculum.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 210px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeMx93kAdJ3i2EWquq1q-SIKIpdXfTixC3tY-bosMY1QsSWXvovYw9qh6VVny4t5khxAZjxTx6BFBl6tS8t-s9WesbGrVb5DYU6_c63HiqYdVt-5WqS3psSTuadBL-Be6O6s-C9MEI_xKT/s400/Agastache+foeniculum.jpg" border="0" alt="[Photo: Agastache foeniculum.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505728665866476306" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Agastache%20foeniculum"><i>Agastache foeniculum</i></a> (anise hyssop, <i>hysope anisée</i>). I'm very excited about this one because it's the first time I've managed to grow it successfully from seed; in fact this plant is in it's first year and already blooming!
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Asclepias%20tuberosa"><i>Asclepias tuberosa</i></a> (butterfly weed, <i>asclépiade tubéreuse</i>)
<li><i>Conyza candensis</i> (horseweed, <i>vergerette du Canada</i>)
<li><i>Eupatorium</i> 'Phantom' (Joe Pye weed, <i>eupatoire naine</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Monarda%20didyma"><i>Monarda didyma</i></a> 'Jacob Klein' (beebalm, <i>monarde</i>)
<li><i>Myosotis laxa</i> (bay forget-me-not, myosotis laxiflore)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Oxalis%20stricta"><i>Oxalis stricta</i></a> (wood sorrel, <i>oxalide</i>)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjjakdEjRA3Bpx38FCgbihYhpLJ7XhW-pzCSmG_IMBngMQG1YhExzqf7wn6BunbZvQMhhZ3W9VUk446aOE9_1hclDL0hDEQGLe0usxdLe3BVuxGXrJqNtfQrWPL60sei_OkrH-boo_Mt-/s1600/Rudbeckia+fulgida.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 388px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjjakdEjRA3Bpx38FCgbihYhpLJ7XhW-pzCSmG_IMBngMQG1YhExzqf7wn6BunbZvQMhhZ3W9VUk446aOE9_1hclDL0hDEQGLe0usxdLe3BVuxGXrJqNtfQrWPL60sei_OkrH-boo_Mt-/s400/Rudbeckia+fulgida.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Rudbeckia fulgida.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505727824068276466" /></a>
<li><i>Rudbeckia fulgida</i> (black-eyed susan, <i>rudbeckie voyante</i>). This one was a surprise because I was sure this plant was one of my <i>Echinacea purpurea</i> seedlings, but obviously not.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJIbrBOZCIbpa0oBpu9INBGb-mZnWrZapbZZMFclxUxN4Ag4uwy1atlRRaYS3SD4FacfRhVHyu-zMe2Drke3UH3cpakQaCaK6b1C1jIKIvdRm_wBgTBQUF8Nnb8D58SiK8ifSYeP8ADaG/s1600/006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJIbrBOZCIbpa0oBpu9INBGb-mZnWrZapbZZMFclxUxN4Ag4uwy1atlRRaYS3SD4FacfRhVHyu-zMe2Drke3UH3cpakQaCaK6b1C1jIKIvdRm_wBgTBQUF8Nnb8D58SiK8ifSYeP8ADaG/s400/006.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Rudbeckia hirta, Petunia 'Carmine Madness', and Lobularia maritima 'Snowstorm'.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505728673382552722" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Rudbeckia%20hirta"><i>Rudbeckia hirta</i></a> (black-eyed susan, <i>rudbeckie dressée</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Solanum%20ptycanthum"><i>Solanum ptycanthum</i></a> (eastern black nightshade, <i>morelle noire de l'est</i>)
<li><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjuBOe7AWv4Tg0T8EFPmzKvRm47ZTxMdhjj0h3mtb1-tKRE1TYXy21vSqDgiIyfYlPXgYCQ6Opg1M6RRiG3TUenuKSlR2ATqi5k_nvHG3wWDldiGuP1MPrH3VtXCwZtWgn84f13oYnA3Fn/s1600/Solidago.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjuBOe7AWv4Tg0T8EFPmzKvRm47ZTxMdhjj0h3mtb1-tKRE1TYXy21vSqDgiIyfYlPXgYCQ6Opg1M6RRiG3TUenuKSlR2ATqi5k_nvHG3wWDldiGuP1MPrH3VtXCwZtWgn84f13oYnA3Fn/s400/Solidago.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Solidago sp.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505727178369148914" /></a>
<li><i>Solidago</i> sp. (goldenrod, <i>verge d'or</i>)
</ul>
<h2>Others</h2>
<ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyp7xUsmjN4tyQETmZsS4mU8ffQsq2JTnRfC5k_knpYYgy337n3BOBvFFOruSTQG-ECHo4UEsbmPVZV2WHYoKIJurB_7RLh8zKt53QXkPEfWS780kQAuOy4XJQ6uXa0N6UvTQQKOd6NtH5/s1600/Antirrhinum+majus+%27Montego+Pink%27.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 376px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyp7xUsmjN4tyQETmZsS4mU8ffQsq2JTnRfC5k_knpYYgy337n3BOBvFFOruSTQG-ECHo4UEsbmPVZV2WHYoKIJurB_7RLh8zKt53QXkPEfWS780kQAuOy4XJQ6uXa0N6UvTQQKOd6NtH5/s400/Antirrhinum+majus+%27Montego+Pink%27.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Antirrhinum majus 'Montego Pink'.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505727850443907602" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Antirrhinum%20majus"><i>Antirrhinum majus</i></a> 'Montego Pink' and NOID (snapdragon, <i>muflier</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Calibrachoa"><i>Calibrachoa</i></a> NOID
<li><i>Cerinthe major</i> 'Purple Bells' (honeywort, <i>grand cérinthe</i>)
<li><i>Cuphea hyssopifolia</i> 'Lavender Lace' (false heather, <i>étoile de Mexique</i>)
<li><i>Glandularia</i> NOID (verbena, <i>verveine</i>)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwOrf2jov-78I55a3E19TzA5OkmZh0lQtOtHPhvfZEUAP-q6QrDidRItyqJkHK8xPKHzeTnJEyMx09FuOUkDSeOLFAUli7PAM9jMaqsvZVOobShnW1UdY-Q4y36rwTvcKRhoLSLNOnZtxr/s1600/Helianthus+annuus.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 204px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwOrf2jov-78I55a3E19TzA5OkmZh0lQtOtHPhvfZEUAP-q6QrDidRItyqJkHK8xPKHzeTnJEyMx09FuOUkDSeOLFAUli7PAM9jMaqsvZVOobShnW1UdY-Q4y36rwTvcKRhoLSLNOnZtxr/s400/Helianthus+annuus.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Helianthus annuus and leaves of Juglans nigra.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505727844193462466" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Helianthus%20annuus"><i>Helianthus annuus</i></a> (sunflower, <i>tournesol</i>)
<li><i>Iberis umbellata</i> 'Fairy Mixed' (candytuft, <i>ibéris en ombelle</i>).
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Impatiens%20walleriana"><i>Impatiens walleriana</i></a> 'Xtreme Pink'™
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Lobelia%20erinus"><i>Lobelia erinus</i></a> 'Cascade Sapphire'
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Lobularia%20maritima"><i>Lobularia maritima</i></a> 'Snowstorm' (alyssum, <i>alysse odorante</i>)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVSgrnYgEoB9BpYhq65eExfdjeTwl7T5tjTh94_m_jZKvPD3NvPV-w5ZCNOEfx7VyoMDmHPSlwIf1vDvpE59olSg4Wf7h2LL2kBA8b-ea3paPASovzShRrXBtb_YfggQKwQ_7MntMwuQ7/s1600/Monarda+%27Bergamo%27.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVSgrnYgEoB9BpYhq65eExfdjeTwl7T5tjTh94_m_jZKvPD3NvPV-w5ZCNOEfx7VyoMDmHPSlwIf1vDvpE59olSg4Wf7h2LL2kBA8b-ea3paPASovzShRrXBtb_YfggQKwQ_7MntMwuQ7/s400/Monarda+%27Bergamo%27.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Monarda 'Bergamo'.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505727837686793922" /></a>
<li><i>Monarda</i> 'Bergamo'. This annual was supposed to "attract butterflies by the dozen" according to <a href="http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/51460/">Park Seed</a> but the butterflies who visit my garden ignore it.
<li><i>Pelargonium</i> NOID (geranium, <i>pélargonium</i>)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTP6NDXRK6DqtbX1Srf71uFJcoifmF_yB6PEEf06NJvM0s7NrOAyjRXp2SbNkpXN-93Y05DoguiS6_wcA0Gi_Hdes-IAE0Q-CoYfsZT7i2KBf5w9cR0wQSkQsyRUZCbmn_198JSWpBgBO/s1600/Pentas+%27New+Look+Pink%27.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTP6NDXRK6DqtbX1Srf71uFJcoifmF_yB6PEEf06NJvM0s7NrOAyjRXp2SbNkpXN-93Y05DoguiS6_wcA0Gi_Hdes-IAE0Q-CoYfsZT7i2KBf5w9cR0wQSkQsyRUZCbmn_198JSWpBgBO/s400/Pentas+%27New+Look+Pink%27.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Pentas lanceolata 'New Look Pink'.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505727830245677986" /></a>
<li><i>Pentas lanceolata</i> 'New Look Pink'. Another supposed butterfly attractor that local butterflies have ignored.
<li><i>Petunia</i> 'Carmine Madness', 'Ultra White', and NOID
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTg1eiIJnlPap_rys_Iqs2_DM-UfIThnHlzOJ2GOkzbl9hXsNYXp59DVdhz2TGSJvei1nAqbbYuhttb_zpHRGnz4ogJHN2YW5L2ghZ05d_BxfBMcmFira941SGAqDnwr5gvxRSIwSs-ke/s1600/002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTg1eiIJnlPap_rys_Iqs2_DM-UfIThnHlzOJ2GOkzbl9hXsNYXp59DVdhz2TGSJvei1nAqbbYuhttb_zpHRGnz4ogJHN2YW5L2ghZ05d_BxfBMcmFira941SGAqDnwr5gvxRSIwSs-ke/s400/002.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: half-barrel planter with Scaevola aemula, Petunia 'Carmine Madness', Petunia 'Ultra White', Tagetes patula 'Janie Tangerine', Tagets patula 'Janie Primrose'. The green leaves in the centre are Mirabilis jalapa, which is just starting to form flower buds.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505728682906185794" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Scaevola%20aemula"><i>Scaevola aemula</i></a> (fairy fanflower, <i>scaevola émule</i>)
<li><i>Tagetes patula</i> 'Janie Primrose' and 'Janie Tangerine' (French marigold, <i>œillet d'Inde</i>)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPqlpAwMDxJlA5Y0-fXtusKUcMa2ChkWyRhYFMlpS1kqMGNISEn2LESi8N3Mwol1LDDt9Bt22mmaWs86CsHiMFx_LLJ2DOqzB5cJYx2RwAuGsFRsZ8ZXIqI2RjObUTqqp000ZgFd3WgJF/s1600/003.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPqlpAwMDxJlA5Y0-fXtusKUcMa2ChkWyRhYFMlpS1kqMGNISEn2LESi8N3Mwol1LDDt9Bt22mmaWs86CsHiMFx_LLJ2DOqzB5cJYx2RwAuGsFRsZ8ZXIqI2RjObUTqqp000ZgFd3WgJF/s400/003.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Rudbeckia hirta and Tagetes tenuifolia 'Lulu'.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505728675035219730" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Tagetes%20tenuifolia"><i>Tagetes tenuifolia</i></a> 'Lulu' (signet marigold, <i>tagète tachée</i>)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtDqmTwyLP-J8X7aNTIg8OYWQ3vIpKAmTgsRCB1ZP3M4WsnyL3nklF1houqjCHWR3-3mqT4Kee_107zAkAWwybfpgeIxX6YmvaQCZiF_uWPxRzPuqdQ-OuFf3US70CJsERWMhTLcBvTGG/s1600/Thunbergia+alata+%27Blushing+Susie%27.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtDqmTwyLP-J8X7aNTIg8OYWQ3vIpKAmTgsRCB1ZP3M4WsnyL3nklF1houqjCHWR3-3mqT4Kee_107zAkAWwybfpgeIxX6YmvaQCZiF_uWPxRzPuqdQ-OuFf3US70CJsERWMhTLcBvTGG/s400/Thunbergia+alata+%27Blushing+Susie%27.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505727164032206450" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Thunbergia%20alata"><i>Thunbergia alata</i></a> 'Blushing Susie' (black-eyed susan vine, <i>suzanne aux yeux noirs</i>)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wfVhgZ7sMMFbmzJTRvmogAQxfIVCyjKtYnYWJNoioLVMCbxTMuaJMfC-RFxXM68ooo8pQ-xQVgBQEppMKe8W8YAg6YGBREgWb_FtNTB6z7YwbduftcnmtpMCbP_EJlMhfGBnPOYDtT8f/s1600/Tropaeolum+majus+%27Whirlybird+Cherry+Rose%27.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wfVhgZ7sMMFbmzJTRvmogAQxfIVCyjKtYnYWJNoioLVMCbxTMuaJMfC-RFxXM68ooo8pQ-xQVgBQEppMKe8W8YAg6YGBREgWb_FtNTB6z7YwbduftcnmtpMCbP_EJlMhfGBnPOYDtT8f/s400/Tropaeolum+majus+%27Whirlybird+Cherry+Rose%27.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Tropaeolum majus 'Whirlybird Cherry Rose'.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505727160810556546" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Tropeolum%20majus"><i>Tropaeolum majus</i></a> 'Whirlybird Cherry Rose' (nasturtium, <i>capucine</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/viola">Viola</a> 'Penny Purple Picotee'
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrj-ssrfPEDzKlia0cjeTgqHbxV70DFpH_BgHbIPzKp7-z3yXUJ1KGk2Am-ynxUydF1sYtEAZk-O97px3gDjmqPPZB32mPoDkLvmYKyTlE-JmGdnXVBhjVNayQ6Bs-oQYYvG-IGUsxwx1N/s1600/Zinnia+%27Magellan+Persian+Carpet+Mix%27.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 326px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrj-ssrfPEDzKlia0cjeTgqHbxV70DFpH_BgHbIPzKp7-z3yXUJ1KGk2Am-ynxUydF1sYtEAZk-O97px3gDjmqPPZB32mPoDkLvmYKyTlE-JmGdnXVBhjVNayQ6Bs-oQYYvG-IGUsxwx1N/s400/Zinnia+%27Magellan+Persian+Carpet+Mix%27.jpg" border="0" alt="[Photo: Zinnia elegans 'Magellan Persian Carpet Mix'.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505727153194200130" /></a>
<li><i>Zinnia elegans</i> 'Persian Carpet Mix' and 'Thumbelina Mix'
</ul>
<p>Thanks to Carol at <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/">May Dreams Gardens</a> for hosting Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/2010/08/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-august-2010.html">what's blooming around the world this August</a>!Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-85150631922725293642010-08-01T10:22:00.000-07:002010-08-01T10:38:28.609-07:00What pollinators likeI did a quick tour around the backyard to see which of the flowers are attracting the interest of local pollinators.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD68y3jhcfdcT140DnUJU0WsbqDJOwWEqFAWUB1bej6B9KKR5JeI1quYHONqfFBtOi0wRaOQbjefnQGg1EwFXDE1cSWszU4zmhjdCdDAyaLzVkFKa38z4X9TLQfJJUTZFPnw_JYk2IcHQj/s1600/Eupatorium+%27Phantom%27.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD68y3jhcfdcT140DnUJU0WsbqDJOwWEqFAWUB1bej6B9KKR5JeI1quYHONqfFBtOi0wRaOQbjefnQGg1EwFXDE1cSWszU4zmhjdCdDAyaLzVkFKa38z4X9TLQfJJUTZFPnw_JYk2IcHQj/s400/Eupatorium+%27Phantom%27.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Eupatorium 'Phantom'.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500494237465936162" /></a><i>Eupatorium</i> 'Phantom' (dwarf Joe Pye weed, <i>eupatoire naine</i>) is evidently close enough to our native <i>Eupatoriadelphus maculatus</i> (formerly <i>Eupatorium maculatum</i>) to attract our native bees. (I got this recently at <a href="http://valumart.ca/">Valumart</a> at 50% off!)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXgOcetpWWO1SDzAsTbGgar233prUGJNYQ7miMsP5pwqhuA-uZl3Q2PRpG7-uDwgsStLEcNmJUAuq9lOx8zCSvmIQxf17Rw6dlLR7pN84Ye1cykZme9ZQ4ENR7LvRnLp9RMN_XeGw_Gbnt/s1600/Helianthus+annuus.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXgOcetpWWO1SDzAsTbGgar233prUGJNYQ7miMsP5pwqhuA-uZl3Q2PRpG7-uDwgsStLEcNmJUAuq9lOx8zCSvmIQxf17Rw6dlLR7pN84Ye1cykZme9ZQ4ENR7LvRnLp9RMN_XeGw_Gbnt/s400/Helianthus+annuus.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Helianthus annuus.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500494226406510050" /></a>
<i>Helianthus annuus</i> (sunflower, <i>tournesol</i>) is a reliable bee attractor (unless you get one of the newfangled pollenless varieties, which may be lovely cutflowers but are useless for pollinators and seed-eaters).
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZa5M4ulqqV_DpVKrS5viPdMYRlyVGiqiSOjwFAmPhNTqcD50TvOK_-nmi_AKfVVnw1vuqI5A2oAiFaludcFsd74xRAMl74JA4Tvan9x69pHXacXKMGt32nG_cKxVKCIQnPHlt6xy2pO0F/s1600/Echinacea+purpurea.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZa5M4ulqqV_DpVKrS5viPdMYRlyVGiqiSOjwFAmPhNTqcD50TvOK_-nmi_AKfVVnw1vuqI5A2oAiFaludcFsd74xRAMl74JA4Tvan9x69pHXacXKMGt32nG_cKxVKCIQnPHlt6xy2pO0F/s400/Echinacea+purpurea.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500494219496207202" /></a><i>Echinacea purpurea</i> (purple coneflower, <i>echinacée pourpre</i>), although not quite native here (we're a bit too far north and east), is a favourite of humans as well as pollinators. (Another 50% off deal!)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtROFi-sUNx1uXgQEQi5gbKRLUETXrkB18NcxViEetkb3TWqcOxn2LoIRpRs885mjS2MPxTRKe1W6NwYRdxnPLe2FyDgKJ7ATuVwc7GWg0xcmfKmhdYLGfjj3uxmk8TGJzvEplyvNg1CK2/s1600/Rudbeckia+hirta.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtROFi-sUNx1uXgQEQi5gbKRLUETXrkB18NcxViEetkb3TWqcOxn2LoIRpRs885mjS2MPxTRKe1W6NwYRdxnPLe2FyDgKJ7ATuVwc7GWg0xcmfKmhdYLGfjj3uxmk8TGJzvEplyvNg1CK2/s400/Rudbeckia+hirta.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500494215701077170" /></a><i>Rudbeckia hirta</i> (black-eyed Susan, <i>rudbeckie dressée</i>) is always abuzz.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKL01_tX-Rcc9rldMOeCvgqoS-wG_ZYGILp1TVT8tAtqS83EcbGGiIoASRWGWY5j54drdLjF4UfJIHkzSLuoDXxyGqhXptDs69NGRe_VjmpaToCzuC8GnjC3ILZ6d3fhz6nllklLfRlqM/s1600-h/031.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKL01_tX-Rcc9rldMOeCvgqoS-wG_ZYGILp1TVT8tAtqS83EcbGGiIoASRWGWY5j54drdLjF4UfJIHkzSLuoDXxyGqhXptDs69NGRe_VjmpaToCzuC8GnjC3ILZ6d3fhz6nllklLfRlqM/s400/031.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Mentha sp. flower spike.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358848139031829250" /></a>Finally, mint (<i>Mentha</i> sp., <i>menthe</i>), which grows as a weed in the backyard, is a hive of activity when in bloom.
<p>What flowers are attracting pollinators in your garden?Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-60571608122491920782010-07-26T11:08:00.001-07:002010-07-26T11:51:59.945-07:00What's blooming in High Park, late July<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmaFSw3kU6mKsEBXMP4EMDV2W78pFuIK19Mt3UKDuYJBPB4Nan-R9caVqEaWgoxupMtw8lqT7HJ9EA57ozzibI9_fWqEKONWPjYUTJDrQCPt0DA2PPUa_y0bRB5vSF6pbkRU0tFezQLErS/s1600/001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmaFSw3kU6mKsEBXMP4EMDV2W78pFuIK19Mt3UKDuYJBPB4Nan-R9caVqEaWgoxupMtw8lqT7HJ9EA57ozzibI9_fWqEKONWPjYUTJDrQCPt0DA2PPUa_y0bRB5vSF6pbkRU0tFezQLErS/s400/001.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Desmodium canadense.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498278697566643490" /></a>
<p>I had a great time with the <a href="http://www.highpark.org/vsp.htm">High Park Volunteer Stewardship Program</a> pulling weeds in the Sculpture Garden restoration site yesterday. There are tons of flowers in bloom now:
<h2>Natives</h2>
<ul>
<li><i>Achillea millefolium</i> (yarrow, <i>achillée millefeuille</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Asclepias%20syriaca"><i>Asclepias syriaca</i></a> (milkweed, <i>bébé lala de lait</i>) (only a few are still blooming, most are setting seed)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Campanula%20rotundifolia"><i>Campanula rotundifolia</i></a> (harebell, <i>campanule à feuilles rondes</i>)
<li><i>Conyza canadensis</i> (horseweed, <i>vergerette du Canada</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Desmodium%20canadense"><i>Desmodium canadense</i></a> (showy tick trefoil, <i>desmodie du Canada</i>) (shown above)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Erigeron%20annuus"><i>Erigeron annuus</i></a> (daisy fleabane, <i>vergerette annuelle</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Helianthus%20divaricatus"><i>Helianthus divaricatus</i></a> (woodland sunflower, <i>hélianthe à feuilles étalées</i>)
<li><i>Lobelia cardinalis</i> (cardinal flower, <i>lobélie cardinale</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Monarda%20fistulosa"><i>Monarda fistulosa</i></a> (wild bergamot, <i>monarde fistuleuse</i>)
<li>some kind of <i>Potentilla</i>, maybe <i>Potentilla fruticosa</i> (shrubby cinquefoil, <i>potentille arbustive</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Rudbeckia%20hirta"><i>Rudbeckia hirta</i></a> (black-eyed Susan, <i>rudbeckie dressée</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Silphium%20perfoliatum"><i>Silphium perfoliatum</i></a> (cup plant, <i>plante bain d'oiseaux</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Verbena%20stricta"><i>Verbena stricta</i></a> (hoary vervain, <i>verveine veloutée</i>)
</ul>
<h2>Others</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Cichorium%20intybus"><i>Cichorium intybus</i></a> (chicory, <i>chicorée sauvage</i>)
<li><i>Daucus carota</i> (Queen Anne's lace, <i>nid d'oiseau</i>)
<li><i>Melilotus alba</i> (white sweet clover, <i>mélilot blanc</i>)
<li><i>Pastinaca sativa</i> (wild parsnip, <i>panais sauvage</i>)
<li><i>Polygonum</i> sp. (smartweed, <i>renouée</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Trifolium%20pratense"><i>Trifolium pratense</i></a> (red clover, <i>trèfle violet</i>)
</ul>
<p>We also saw a big wasp dragging a caterpillar to a hole she had previously dug, presumably to lay eggs on it. Although I felt sorry for the caterpillar, it was fascinating to watch. In <a href="http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/growing_green/"><i>Growing Green</i></a> (White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing, 2006), an intriguing book about <a href="http://www.goveganic.net/">veganic</a> food production, Jenny Hall and Iain Tolhurst recommend growing native plants near fields of crops to attract beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps.Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-20680003195609471942010-07-24T09:47:00.001-07:002010-07-24T09:47:49.331-07:00Where are the bees?It seems to me that there are far fewer bees than usual this year. Has anyone else in Toronto noticed this?Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-41059538242783218662010-07-23T09:30:00.000-07:002010-07-24T09:47:02.995-07:00Beautiful Eumorpha pandorus: another reason to grow native plants!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0tlnTYmF3GrjlHXLx1HnKTApywSC1cxOFfWkwDxr8Bpmt35YwfPB5RpdbbiABkbcNb94aOoUtn06-6lWBaRqeB_J1kCQOEx9l7zscD-cboa3Jt-QqZwWIgCFERI95ds0_zp6T3UtVuLGv/s1600/Pandora+sphinx+moth.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0tlnTYmF3GrjlHXLx1HnKTApywSC1cxOFfWkwDxr8Bpmt35YwfPB5RpdbbiABkbcNb94aOoUtn06-6lWBaRqeB_J1kCQOEx9l7zscD-cboa3Jt-QqZwWIgCFERI95ds0_zp6T3UtVuLGv/s400/Pandora+sphinx+moth.jpg" border="0" alt="[Photo: Eumorpha pandorus.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497511233783903842" /></a>On the wall of the <a href="http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/hou_az_da.jsp">Danforth/Coxwell Library</a>, my son and I were thrilled to spot this big (8-9 cm) beautiful moth, who was kind enough to stay put while we ran home to get a camera and bug book.
<p>This beauty is intriguingly named Pandora sphinx moth (<i>sphinx Pandore</i>). Its larval hosts include Virginia creeper (<a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Parthenocissus%20quinquefolia"><i>Parthenocissus quinquefolia</i></a>, <i>vigne vierge de Virginie</i>), and sure enough there is a Virginia creeper climbing on the wall of the library, which <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Parthenocissus%20quinquefolia">I photographed last year</a>. (The <a href="http://www.google.ca/images?hl=fr&rlz=1T4DACA_enCA331CA331&q=pandora+sphinx+larva&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=gxhLTLSZHcGC8gbP6v04&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDoQsAQwAw">larvae</a> also feed on <i>Vitis</i> spp. (grapes, <i>raisins</i>).
<p>I have been meaning to get some Virginia creeper growing in the backyard, and seeing this beautiful moth makes me all the more determined.Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-53484191647867939152010-07-17T14:45:00.000-07:002010-07-17T15:12:35.352-07:00Big beautiful beetle, Pelidnota punctata<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIJ1qwHMuWM1PQc5ODZkG3bKCBteCtEXLL4TcbPh6CUHfQvVY-UYCigAw1LXTh-bE_dRjWfXeUhykLxUhFvdX0U_Lwn6nCbE2WEWwJx2YsBh5_QCUzHOp9iA8IuXPLBaO27gMl7KA3Mos/s1600/big_red_beetle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIJ1qwHMuWM1PQc5ODZkG3bKCBteCtEXLL4TcbPh6CUHfQvVY-UYCigAw1LXTh-bE_dRjWfXeUhykLxUhFvdX0U_Lwn6nCbE2WEWwJx2YsBh5_QCUzHOp9iA8IuXPLBaO27gMl7KA3Mos/s400/big_red_beetle.jpg" border="0" alt="[Photo: Pelidnota punctata.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494994806198012066" /></a>
When cutting back the neighbour's encroaching grapevines, I discovered this beautiful insect, a whopping 2 cm long, and was actually able to get a decent photo! (The bug was so still when I caught it that I thought it was dead, but after a few minutes it rubbed its face and started nibbling the leaf.)
<p>This beauty is a <a href="http://themarvelousinnature.wordpress.com/2008/03/19/a-beetle-from-summer/">grapevine beetle</a> (<i>scarabée ponctué de la vigne</i>), an eastern North American relative of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarabaeus_sacer#Scarab_in_Ancient_Egypt">sacred scarab beetle of ancient Egypt</a>. The adults eat grape leaves and fruit, and other plants as well such as Virginia creeper (<a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Parthenocissus%20quinquefolia"><i>Parthenocissus quinquefolia</i></a>, <i>vigne vierge de Virginie</i>), but are not considered a major pest of vineyards. The eggs are laid in rotting wood or soil, and the larvae (grubs) feed on roots. Both larvae and adults are nocturnal, which I guess is why this little(ish) one was inactive when I found it—it was drowsy!Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-2368286854317667822010-07-15T17:16:00.001-07:002010-07-15T18:45:53.990-07:00Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, July 2010Lots of blooms for July, mostly annuals. I started a lot of plants from seeds this year, and it is gratifying to see some of them flowering already!
<h2>Natives</h2>
<ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkrj527r4rVGblUMu8jTF1bM6DE6YNH70z-4gfJH8jVuIsreZxOROwKqf9JnRY-n53wM1R8vvD02YwOYeNQ717WQUAg9qR7Hl4MeADy7dYRz2JQC3WtWU_OfCUcBwpz0KPP0nyVATec0u/s1600/108.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkrj527r4rVGblUMu8jTF1bM6DE6YNH70z-4gfJH8jVuIsreZxOROwKqf9JnRY-n53wM1R8vvD02YwOYeNQ717WQUAg9qR7Hl4MeADy7dYRz2JQC3WtWU_OfCUcBwpz0KPP0nyVATec0u/s400/108.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Adiantum pedatum.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494292063697225426" /></a>
<li><i>Adiantum pedatum</i> (maidenhair fern, <i>adiante pédalé</i>). I bought this beauty at the <a href="http://nanps.org/">North American Native Plant Society</a> Plant Sale this spring. It will never bloom, of course, but it's too pretty to leave out.
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Asclepias%20tuberosa"><i>Asclepias tuberosa</i></a> (butterfly weed, <i>asclépiade tubéreuse</i>). I saw a monarch butterfly in the garden yesterday; maybe it will lay some eggs? Fingers crossed!
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWGd5yI0awcv2HQlPu2RmsbSFUdjgqRIpxcz26bfhgBHgXmGwJoA8sOB4eRi8l5c6ICVGWRlsGhyphenhyphenZw4hjy-nUVYp-gdxTY_If0MwYLuYh5-V2HMok2Y97nFNN53BoN2DIfPrqKCbVUaw6/s1600/117.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWGd5yI0awcv2HQlPu2RmsbSFUdjgqRIpxcz26bfhgBHgXmGwJoA8sOB4eRi8l5c6ICVGWRlsGhyphenhyphenZw4hjy-nUVYp-gdxTY_If0MwYLuYh5-V2HMok2Y97nFNN53BoN2DIfPrqKCbVUaw6/s400/117.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Myosotis laxa.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494298831988815266" /></a>
<li><i>Myosotis laxa</i> (bay forget-me-not, <i>myosotis laxiflore</i>). Another treasure from NANPS, it has already quadrupled in size! I'm going to relocate the encroaching sedum soon to give the forget-me-not room to really go crazy.
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Oxalis%20stricta"><i>Oxalis stricta</i></a> (wood sorrel, <i>oxalide</i>)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjarUc2bjTx5KZa3isf84BAtlld9yNcU-eSryYqvowTXMBVakgtjHgSi3xRydMlnFRw_a8nFJGhtZVej00kc5x9OKib_oz4MkSv1C7pZfICNVeSU82O7AE5KoyKtbqZ5tz3xiDKnwiGoc1/s1600/112.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjarUc2bjTx5KZa3isf84BAtlld9yNcU-eSryYqvowTXMBVakgtjHgSi3xRydMlnFRw_a8nFJGhtZVej00kc5x9OKib_oz4MkSv1C7pZfICNVeSU82O7AE5KoyKtbqZ5tz3xiDKnwiGoc1/s400/112.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Rudbeckia hirta.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494298808624300274" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Rudbeckia%20hirta"><i>Rudbeckia hirta</i></a> (black-eyed Susan, <i>rudbeckie dressée</i>); as always, the star of the summer garden.
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Solanum%20ptycanthum"><i>Solanum ptycanthum</i></a> (eastern black nightshade, <i>morelle noire de l'est</i>)
</ul>
<p>Alas, the <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Monarda%20didyma"><i>Monarda didyma</i></a> 'Jacob Klein' (beebalm, <i>monarde</i>) which put on such a show last year is very unhappy this year; it had a few small sad blooms which are already past. I tried moving the <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Liatris%20spicata"><i>Liatris spicata</i></a> (dense blazing star, <i>liatride à épis</i>) to what should be a better location for it in terms of sun, and it seems stressed out too, though it is working on a flower spike.
<p>Happily, some of my native seedlings are doing well, in particular, <i>Tradescantia ohiensis</i>, <i>Agastache foeniculum</i>, and <i>Asclepias tuberosa</i>; maybe they'll make an appearance for a Bloom Day next summer!
<h2>Others</h2>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Antirrhinum%20majus"><i>Antirrhinum majus</i></a> NOID (snapdragons, <i>mufliers</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Calibrachoa"><i>Calibrachoa</i></a> NOID
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Campanula%20rapunculoides"><i>Campanula rapunculoides</i></a> (creepy bellflower, <i>campanule fausse raiponce</i>). This pretty plant is horribly invasive here in southern Ontario; I've started trying to get rid of it though it seems futile.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8CzdbH0W7x-wwgYRCG0UlWQKW8FmRgvc1S1WKfRuDILVQvoX_JROTGV4-SD3OJkAEh-YtnwF_biOH_aC61R1n2amPBCSnOSwowp8a4TTNZ77456T5DilOyTwgFl1UvuUvgIQY2zplXBt/s1600/113.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8CzdbH0W7x-wwgYRCG0UlWQKW8FmRgvc1S1WKfRuDILVQvoX_JROTGV4-SD3OJkAEh-YtnwF_biOH_aC61R1n2amPBCSnOSwowp8a4TTNZ77456T5DilOyTwgFl1UvuUvgIQY2zplXBt/s400/113.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Cerinthe major 'Purple Honeybells'.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494298827633458898" /></a>
<li><i>Cerinthe major</i> 'Purple Bells' (honeywort, <i>grand cérinthe</i>). Compare these cream and pink flowers to <a href="http://www.mckenzieseeds.com/productimages_large/130093.jpg">their depiction at the McKenzie Seeds website</a>. This isn't the first time that McKenzie seeds have come out very unlike the depiction on the package. They're okay, but not especially striking, especially from a distance.
<li><I>Chlorophytum comosum</i> (spider plant, <i>plante araignée</i>)
<li><i>Cuphea hyssopifolia</i> 'Lavender Lace' (false heather, <i>étoile de Mexique</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/verbena"><i>Glandularia</i></a> NOID (verbena, <i>verveine</i>; apparently they've moved these common annuals which everyone calls verbena into a new genus)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/verbena"><i>Heliotropium arborescens</i></a> 'Marine' (heliotrope, <i>héliotrope</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Hibiscus%20syriacus"><i>Hibiscus syriacus</i></a> (rose of Sharon, <i>althéa</i>)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubO6qTfgSX5AZ378YGXiZsgYy6q2Ajb5GA0PZLLT711EPJs_sOoOUnad6hAYVqG0cs4ljEDS2mgjCpWuTJOWM8pV2Y4MIz8YiPsN6_s5dxR74m7_8CLYQElUCns9c0WbLhs0b-VaGUquK/s1600/107.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubO6qTfgSX5AZ378YGXiZsgYy6q2Ajb5GA0PZLLT711EPJs_sOoOUnad6hAYVqG0cs4ljEDS2mgjCpWuTJOWM8pV2Y4MIz8YiPsN6_s5dxR74m7_8CLYQElUCns9c0WbLhs0b-VaGUquK/s400/107.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Hosta 'Orange Marmalade'.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494292053843527090" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Hosta"><i>Hosta</i></a> 'Orange Marmalade' and NOIDs
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-Oh0Vh3m3UzSCZHXWPOOBoJ9s3Ih4Wwp7OEgK_t1A-pYnh3TJCtWmFWcl3fCbbFwsFrauu1VMGgWkkTtM7Fol29f4KLKJGdoBflAasrQSVFugLB74TmzJlkIRuUiTiopLsrZMzOKS45Y/s1600/111.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-Oh0Vh3m3UzSCZHXWPOOBoJ9s3Ih4Wwp7OEgK_t1A-pYnh3TJCtWmFWcl3fCbbFwsFrauu1VMGgWkkTtM7Fol29f4KLKJGdoBflAasrQSVFugLB74TmzJlkIRuUiTiopLsrZMzOKS45Y/s400/111.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Petunia 'Carmine Madness'® and Iberis umbellata 'Fairy Mixed'.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494298798766590802" /></a>
<li><i>Iberis umbellata</i> 'Fairy Mixed' (candytuft, <i>ibéris en ombelle</i>). Grown from seed for the first time this year, started outdoors, very easy. I think I'll be growing these again!
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Impatiens%20walleriana"><i>Impatiens walleriana</i></a> 'Xtreme Pink'™
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7K6GmUsUa2wtmbJDjPOmaqqDJ-k9aYzLWsY-5ELN-vcVJhBgXBfC18JGdpVy6gAXhcTdu30nH1DzAS1Ar0G5v6gDYENNVLqA_2lDLeMrWyMPF83nRSfDqyjXt28YhgQy2BSTdX2MBLfx/s1600/102.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7K6GmUsUa2wtmbJDjPOmaqqDJ-k9aYzLWsY-5ELN-vcVJhBgXBfC18JGdpVy6gAXhcTdu30nH1DzAS1Ar0G5v6gDYENNVLqA_2lDLeMrWyMPF83nRSfDqyjXt28YhgQy2BSTdX2MBLfx/s400/102.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Impatiens walleriana 'Xtreme Pink' and Lobelia erinus 'Cascade Sapphire'.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494292039018863778" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Lobelia%20erinus"><i>Lobelia erinus</i></a> 'Cascade Sapphire' (I think)
<li><i>Lysimachia</i>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Matricaria%20recutita"><i>Matricaria recutita</i></a> (German chamomile, <i>camomille vraie</i>)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KZTJH5YhRAXEzHnM9uSTS8L4PeoU-ZQiGyjgWpM9w6wW6rSfZObM3sbDx_9r9vzCI-fvvzx8DSCNdUvbF5Dw9xtBMF4pSShyphenhyphen0XBv6byilCyHTFQAIj6GPu-F3mtbArscFe8AytvIrjx3/s1600/100.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KZTJH5YhRAXEzHnM9uSTS8L4PeoU-ZQiGyjgWpM9w6wW6rSfZObM3sbDx_9r9vzCI-fvvzx8DSCNdUvbF5Dw9xtBMF4pSShyphenhyphen0XBv6byilCyHTFQAIj6GPu-F3mtbArscFe8AytvIrjx3/s400/100.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Pelargonium NOID and Scaevola aemula.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494292026605651330" /></a>
<li><i>Pelargonium</i> NOID (geranium, <i>pélargonium</i>)
<li><i>Petunia</i> 'Carmine Madness', 'Ultra White', and NOID
<li><i>Rosa</i> NOID (rose, <i>rosier</i>)
<li><i>Sanvitalia</i>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Scaevola%20aemula"><i>Scaevola aemula</i></a> (fairy fan flower, <i>scaevola émule</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Sedum%20spurium"><I>Sedum spurium</i></a> (rock cress, <i>orpin bâtard</i>)
<li><i>Tagetes patula</i> 'Janie Primrose', 'Janie Tangerine'
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BjDSf75RSzwX9qn8DpoqrLw14HtyqXlGyxfQnEUDUMYSeulnGoE_1xk-RDyt3-pOq34-b9O5QjubIv2bBPc21A7RFNgVnN4ztWKovH-sAtFpCkiFonUvwEQqexTPtDET2983T2qCZo5Z/s1600/104.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BjDSf75RSzwX9qn8DpoqrLw14HtyqXlGyxfQnEUDUMYSeulnGoE_1xk-RDyt3-pOq34-b9O5QjubIv2bBPc21A7RFNgVnN4ztWKovH-sAtFpCkiFonUvwEQqexTPtDET2983T2qCZo5Z/s400/104.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Adiantum pedatum, Viola 'Purple Penny Picotee', and Solenostemon scutellaroides 'Golden Wizard'.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494292043249366258" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/viola"><i>Viola</i></a> 'Penny Purple Picotee'
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvn0E_3i5St1MQeNp6gsTzX5TiSp4j-qrRMZ3NlfVa2umdZ4hii1PaDhcKOmMBFsFxKPCos6emlJj14i-7KCHcdOnv7aAskOw076FSgsL2lk8SzI8pF0A2H4TcxJh3iAIr0AlBFvf2EeO/s1600/122.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvn0E_3i5St1MQeNp6gsTzX5TiSp4j-qrRMZ3NlfVa2umdZ4hii1PaDhcKOmMBFsFxKPCos6emlJj14i-7KCHcdOnv7aAskOw076FSgsL2lk8SzI8pF0A2H4TcxJh3iAIr0AlBFvf2EeO/s400/122.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Zinnia elegans 'Magellan Persian Carpet Mixed.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494298840770353074" /></a>
<li><i>Zinnia elegans</i> 'Magellan Persian Carpet Mixed'. I'm pretty pleased with these, though I do feel that <a href="http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/4709">Park Seed misrepresented the colour</a>, what do you think?
<p>Thanks to Carol at <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/">May Dreams Gardens</a> for hosting Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/2010/07/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-july-2010.html">what's blooming around the world this July!</a>Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-48972714142976763602010-06-14T07:02:00.001-07:002010-06-15T09:11:53.617-07:00Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, June 2010This month lots of things are starting to bloom:
<h3>Natives</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Va4u317uEZGCpp9IcuREnXp-KeKpMX7hmuUN_YbG8u1CzM8cOUwadY6qpbTnmOJbXvkURlXKuCA7qE1ss_AdNb_r_g3hR7gb4ADq81cbOCLz7JbNJZEz2rXBpJNs4Cj1PJnYyI08fDUj/s1600/n_anemone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 314px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482636630682442450" border="0" alt="[Photo: Anemone canadensis.]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Va4u317uEZGCpp9IcuREnXp-KeKpMX7hmuUN_YbG8u1CzM8cOUwadY6qpbTnmOJbXvkURlXKuCA7qE1ss_AdNb_r_g3hR7gb4ADq81cbOCLz7JbNJZEz2rXBpJNs4Cj1PJnYyI08fDUj/s400/n_anemone.jpg" /></a>
<li><i>Anemone canadensis</i> (Canada anemone, <i>anémone du Canada</i>). I was thrilled when this pretty native volunteered last year. Unfortunately I've never managed to get a good picture of it.</li>
<li><i>Myosotis laxa</i> (bay forget-me-not, <i>myosotis laxiflore</i>)</li>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Oxalis%20stricta"><i>Oxalis stricta</i></a> (wood sorrel, <i>oxalide</i>)</li>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0dk7XHkrMGM7U7_UkAaQ8dDOg33CD6aZq5ItbED_fqeNDVQJvUHvKUSIVexTrI94ua5gSHODH-J_s1yjk7Yn1-B-vqiBKWvxH2TKt0wTlD8pVWn07bO9Lflk_e80IBU6izWCw4iU6xOc/s1600/n_phlox.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 324px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482636622938286098" border="0" alt="[Photo: Phlox divaricata 'Sweet Lilac']" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0dk7XHkrMGM7U7_UkAaQ8dDOg33CD6aZq5ItbED_fqeNDVQJvUHvKUSIVexTrI94ua5gSHODH-J_s1yjk7Yn1-B-vqiBKWvxH2TKt0wTlD8pVWn07bO9Lflk_e80IBU6izWCw4iU6xOc/s400/n_phlox.jpg" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Phlox%20divaricata"><i>Phlox divaricata</i></a> 'Sweet Lilac' (woodland phlox, <i>phlox bleu</i>) is on its last legs; <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/2010/05/phlox-divaricata-sweet-lilac-better.html">here's a picture of it in its prime</a>.
<h3>Non-natives</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWphcTKmxGt8d1Y4JfmrK_5O3WawPt_SY5zGlg5nY_9WNdko7YIkoDg5VRjPnJlNxbLO54JsR9ewGD1uJk08tkGyB6kuUDa1rYaXPK1X-0GsSY3wDp_D6nQCoGtv3wlMb3sTjMiurAgPhk/s1600/x_antirrhinum.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 352px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482635470683957954" border="0" alt="[Photo: Antirrhinum majus.]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWphcTKmxGt8d1Y4JfmrK_5O3WawPt_SY5zGlg5nY_9WNdko7YIkoDg5VRjPnJlNxbLO54JsR9ewGD1uJk08tkGyB6kuUDa1rYaXPK1X-0GsSY3wDp_D6nQCoGtv3wlMb3sTjMiurAgPhk/s400/x_antirrhinum.jpg" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Antirrhinum%20majus"><i>Antirrhinum majus</i></a> (snapdragon, <i>muflier</i>). These volunteered last year and managed to survive the winter! (Usually they're treated as annuals in Toronto.)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYY1_fSrb4U1c7WghNxRDegz3LOGIhzv5RJ2TUmSfsBGK9bPKKa7MQQWicRif7VSKoCJPPNHXarugQz11al4a6_OlKrF5CVbkNIBGAOPmQ0V43jG2WIOr_QkjeOObSpKewQehKR9oAPyOq/s1600/x_digitalis.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 233px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482635467068275090" border="0" alt="[Photo: Digitalis × mertonensis]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYY1_fSrb4U1c7WghNxRDegz3LOGIhzv5RJ2TUmSfsBGK9bPKKa7MQQWicRif7VSKoCJPPNHXarugQz11al4a6_OlKrF5CVbkNIBGAOPmQ0V43jG2WIOr_QkjeOObSpKewQehKR9oAPyOq/s400/x_digitalis.jpg" /></a>
<li><i>Digitalis × mertonensis</i> (strawberry foxglove, <i>digitale hybride</i>)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RJCvruRTRz4s9ILtisF8_ZomI8Hq3bc3rCHLEvAuZG3f0lZniEIqcJWm_2wwsP6vRxoXqtD7RSQFYh3jMPnNyWscT3Vhrq66AtUjFG5UvnGe2sSW6eLNWQQ9TJGtJ96RStmgyOdB2sWZ/s1600/x_heliotropium.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 373px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482635454945001202" border="0" alt="[Photo: Heliotropium arborescens.]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RJCvruRTRz4s9ILtisF8_ZomI8Hq3bc3rCHLEvAuZG3f0lZniEIqcJWm_2wwsP6vRxoXqtD7RSQFYh3jMPnNyWscT3Vhrq66AtUjFG5UvnGe2sSW6eLNWQQ9TJGtJ96RStmgyOdB2sWZ/s400/x_heliotropium.jpg" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Heliotropium%20arborescens"><i>Heliotropium arborescens</i></a> (heliotrope, <i>héliotrope du Pérou</i>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Heuchera"><i>Heuchera</i></a> 'Bressingham Hybrid' (coral bells, <i>heuchère</i>)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjbPzh09A80_R2D5I9Lx-qWAMLI0MI9ldLMbqkVCC0xI5edEVOdPqIW0E64Mw8LzLUxCHeQL7HxgmkzgjQK2JZFLa-tbcB6xNsn5WHuadM4pd2JdVtRQBX4R_CK6DZMDhD_DvKgk11Vhxt/s1600/x_impatiens.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 291px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482635444209804770" border="0" alt="[Photo: Impatiens walleriana 'Xtreme™ Pink']" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjbPzh09A80_R2D5I9Lx-qWAMLI0MI9ldLMbqkVCC0xI5edEVOdPqIW0E64Mw8LzLUxCHeQL7HxgmkzgjQK2JZFLa-tbcB6xNsn5WHuadM4pd2JdVtRQBX4R_CK6DZMDhD_DvKgk11Vhxt/s400/x_impatiens.jpg" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Impatiens%20walleriana"><i>Impatiens walleriana</i></a> 'Xtreme™ Pink'. These are very vigorous and floriferous plants; too bad it turns out they clash violently with the strawberry foxglove.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtW8Wx3qlp3YNOZwcD445m_9bPgBf2ln4jxkPrTHZpnDppPibwADt5y2mcKk8n3OsUdNx8fnGebKG8xcZTZrGUSW_zAGG1SxsFPfDrRPB4IxLFE6SphuP_ocK9I0JNL_8DamaOXeh-j6I/s1600/x_lilium.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 337px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482634716889920402" border="0" alt="[Photo: Lilium]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtW8Wx3qlp3YNOZwcD445m_9bPgBf2ln4jxkPrTHZpnDppPibwADt5y2mcKk8n3OsUdNx8fnGebKG8xcZTZrGUSW_zAGG1SxsFPfDrRPB4IxLFE6SphuP_ocK9I0JNL_8DamaOXeh-j6I/s400/x_lilium.jpg" /></a>
<p><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Lilium"><i>Lilium</i></a> (lily, <i>lys</i>). Veseys sent some free mixed Carpet Border Lilies with my order last fall. They are lovely, until the lily beetles start nibbling them. (I don't feel comfortable killing animals, even insects, for what are merely cosmetic concerns. I would have squished the eggs but my son thought even that was "mean".)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8_Td76SWEMrvPPwyrM8Q4uGpNITZU8bJ94yOh0NqRZJ4D5Fz3ES8PfJRtMzYMgI3qrfoY3mT_U07f5yGcNdaRtWVAf4UN2NN0k2L5hBSG8mUMkSEPLhp98zUe8Y8m_y5Oae-3UQo_9dD/s1600/x_matricaria.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 287px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482634715790574050" border="0" alt="[Photo: Matricaria recutita]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8_Td76SWEMrvPPwyrM8Q4uGpNITZU8bJ94yOh0NqRZJ4D5Fz3ES8PfJRtMzYMgI3qrfoY3mT_U07f5yGcNdaRtWVAf4UN2NN0k2L5hBSG8mUMkSEPLhp98zUe8Y8m_y5Oae-3UQo_9dD/s400/x_matricaria.jpg" /></a>
</p><li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Matricaria%20recutita"><i>Matricaria recutita</i></a> (German chammomile, <i>camomille vraie</i>). I sowed this annual once a few years ago and it's been volunteering ever since. It has a lovely pineapple smell, like its less showy relative, <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Matricaria%20discoidea"><i>Matricaria discoidea</i></a> (pineapple weed, <i>matricaire odorante</i>)
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6SPZXVw0ZZigUE14ayIoxz_aPbbr_sG5epJnBYsTUlpdkAWkJotXssvV8Tc_A6t8akobmSvocgN1HA0n2r0hOXOKbrwTCQKq5OSnHM6ZLSrdj5RGOcpcL9xT26Pi8y7mHZHq1wdv6M1xz/s1600/x_petunia_carmine_madness.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 326px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482634708327868722" border="0" alt="[Photo: Petunia 'Carmine Madness®']" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6SPZXVw0ZZigUE14ayIoxz_aPbbr_sG5epJnBYsTUlpdkAWkJotXssvV8Tc_A6t8akobmSvocgN1HA0n2r0hOXOKbrwTCQKq5OSnHM6ZLSrdj5RGOcpcL9xT26Pi8y7mHZHq1wdv6M1xz/s400/x_petunia_carmine_madness.jpg" /></a>
<li><i>Petunia</i> 'Carmine Madness®'. My landlords get hot pink petunias every year.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjTWYXaBD_pjqhLYKqHUjGyPGMrBgeY9CT855qbaBudmFBYCTN25R5K2wn0pYbZQqIqeAZWNIaQdDVlZf26EBZZ6WKwDwGCYdF-JjqE8VOnqOMpbCmZeTLaRDgUYCTCyyvLby5QwNmQ-I/s1600/x_petunia_ultra_white.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 302px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482634706826927490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjTWYXaBD_pjqhLYKqHUjGyPGMrBgeY9CT855qbaBudmFBYCTN25R5K2wn0pYbZQqIqeAZWNIaQdDVlZf26EBZZ6WKwDwGCYdF-JjqE8VOnqOMpbCmZeTLaRDgUYCTCyyvLby5QwNmQ-I/s400/x_petunia_ultra_white.jpg" /></a>
<li><i>Petunia</i> 'Ultra White'. These are actually fragrant!
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1arumU6HDhLWwZMIfcWxSNzFq6kmNfSNY9KFiMhy1fAsrrtbUvCyTtu4BYyYoUKWhK7cPz-Trkm3Xes0JVJX4Hcboqp0AFm7DqLDPRoufJ15_7q2kaFUmZqlzpYe48dQnah_8EdN6nyZi/s1600/x_rosa.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 323px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482634695684566450" border="0" alt="[Photo: Rosa.]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1arumU6HDhLWwZMIfcWxSNzFq6kmNfSNY9KFiMhy1fAsrrtbUvCyTtu4BYyYoUKWhK7cPz-Trkm3Xes0JVJX4Hcboqp0AFm7DqLDPRoufJ15_7q2kaFUmZqlzpYe48dQnah_8EdN6nyZi/s400/x_rosa.jpg" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Rosa"><i>Rosa</i></a>. This is a fragrant variety, and the bees love it. I'm not sure what the green bug in this photo is.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjfYLjcfh9VV55KtTwMfkmFsRpXx4qPaftcdhlgo_WqQGFxgeoYecZjDQqfk8-1Yi4tf0Rg14bBCgCLV11doGGxQrPWT5aPs85qWrAN9mmF0wjAvqcQ0C-JdYrgBnClP1-ODkboU2Oa5U/s1600/x_scaevola.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 310px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482633504010734402" border="0" alt="[Photo: Scaevola aemula.]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjfYLjcfh9VV55KtTwMfkmFsRpXx4qPaftcdhlgo_WqQGFxgeoYecZjDQqfk8-1Yi4tf0Rg14bBCgCLV11doGGxQrPWT5aPs85qWrAN9mmF0wjAvqcQ0C-JdYrgBnClP1-ODkboU2Oa5U/s400/x_scaevola.jpg" /></a>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Scaevola%20aemula"><i>Scaevola aemula</i></a> (fairy fanflower, <i>scaevola émule</i>), an Australian native (like my late father).
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WjjwLf9UgbBKYJ16DavhlZxTqf76lLJDvcRjIFsncUPiQAhkOvB8Y5zmmn1iiTMwCc3tgGNX_wUiym8Ki6KV5cHlse-krPZHMN6Eov4Zj1RVkeA3ac_mzM9X1HqQlroUaeseL_cDFqvc/s1600/x_tagetes_janie_primrose.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 317px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482633499536864914" border="0" alt="[Photo: Tagetes 'Janie Primrose.]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WjjwLf9UgbBKYJ16DavhlZxTqf76lLJDvcRjIFsncUPiQAhkOvB8Y5zmmn1iiTMwCc3tgGNX_wUiym8Ki6KV5cHlse-krPZHMN6Eov4Zj1RVkeA3ac_mzM9X1HqQlroUaeseL_cDFqvc/s400/x_tagetes_janie_primrose.jpg" /></a>
<li><i>Tagetes patula</i> 'Janie Primrose' (French marigold, <i>œillet d'Inde</i>)
<li><i>Tagetes patula</i> 'Janie Tangerine'
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fde5u8FmE2qhXBXyoUZNgczRv2v2ytqzXi1erl8W8SnTMVJwVeZ1VsgLYnlIuO-840v4C4wyCj_Pi_XbxYWX5UiXuCns7cRPTL6LpL_hUeIv6rzxoegNmK2zNR-t8p2fOYWialQJgIbl/s1600/x_viola.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 317px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482633491673041874" border="0" alt="[Photo: Viola cornuta 'Penny Purple Picotee'" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fde5u8FmE2qhXBXyoUZNgczRv2v2ytqzXi1erl8W8SnTMVJwVeZ1VsgLYnlIuO-840v4C4wyCj_Pi_XbxYWX5UiXuCns7cRPTL6LpL_hUeIv6rzxoegNmK2zNR-t8p2fOYWialQJgIbl/s400/x_viola.jpg" /></a>
<li><i>Viola cornuta</i> 'Penny Purple Picotee' (viola, <i>viola</i>). This is my first year raising violas from seed—it was easy and fun. I got my seeds from <a href="http://stokeseeds.com/">Stokes</a>, which has <a href="http://stokeseeds.com/category.aspx?CategoryID=531">a great selection of viola seeds</a>.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrL9_uwC9J7RPAqJX4fvvbPpC3QJhJyvKxvO65sMGTwdyrvf9S8zDK-mvvDcJe9thYf3XOVopHo2XP7P_vCvqYIPIGGU8o_IhBuL91b9utR6Qcf6NZKXn93OvPsuOaBt6XkWxOLu-crhW/s1600/x_z.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 304px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482633481467902802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrL9_uwC9J7RPAqJX4fvvbPpC3QJhJyvKxvO65sMGTwdyrvf9S8zDK-mvvDcJe9thYf3XOVopHo2XP7P_vCvqYIPIGGU8o_IhBuL91b9utR6Qcf6NZKXn93OvPsuOaBt6XkWxOLu-crhW/s400/x_z.jpg" /></a>
<ul>My landlord just got this lovely planter, which includes <i>Callibrachoa</i>, <i>Chlorophytum comosum</i> (spider plant, <i>plante araignée</i>), <i>Sanvitalia</i>, <i>Scaevola aemula</i>, and a plant I can't identify.
</li></ul>
<p>Thanks to Carol at <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/">May Dreams Gardens</a> for hosting Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Be sure to check out what's blooming around the world for the <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/2010/06/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-june-2010.html">June 2010 Bloom Day</a> !Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-91587682921112057812010-05-29T15:25:00.000-07:002010-05-29T15:53:19.253-07:00Penstemon hirsutus in bloom!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4LYpL47YIhyyNalMvRiHtzGRXBbtF-bX3qODavj2Zoh-nKp4A-vEIIZJbu13_uPzFQCnNBKKlxAx3HMwM8-jw0jAybnbV5uXuGtYwZvJvM9VQXXZaROGlN6HEZIvvFCJr5q4059uYTbd/s1600/001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4LYpL47YIhyyNalMvRiHtzGRXBbtF-bX3qODavj2Zoh-nKp4A-vEIIZJbu13_uPzFQCnNBKKlxAx3HMwM8-jw0jAybnbV5uXuGtYwZvJvM9VQXXZaROGlN6HEZIvvFCJr5q4059uYTbd/s400/001.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Penstemon hirsutus.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476821950713561746" /></a>The hairy penstemon (aka "hairy beardtongue", "eastern penstemon", <i>penstémon hirsute</i>) that I purchased a few weeks ago at the <a href="http://nanps.org/">North American Native Plant Society</a> plant sale a few weeks ago is already blooming, despite the stress of moving to a new home and this crazy heat wave we've been having. I knew very little about this plant when I got it, except that it was a purple penstemon. I'm quite happy with it.
<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRG8ia8nh7-cJTJevLyRnLq6lkw8GB2Fh3qaQ00fjrzxBzl5YIXkdqeSEQwdD-Oe1u7apzXg3aYB6IMQTr53xnfRal6ERn65pMXAStkKbJf3kCYzAxLIEu09COh1JgyuZoYUuAyj16Xek/s1600/penstemon+hirsutus+closeup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRG8ia8nh7-cJTJevLyRnLq6lkw8GB2Fh3qaQ00fjrzxBzl5YIXkdqeSEQwdD-Oe1u7apzXg3aYB6IMQTr53xnfRal6ERn65pMXAStkKbJf3kCYzAxLIEu09COh1JgyuZoYUuAyj16Xek/s400/penstemon+hirsutus+closeup.jpg" border="0" alt="[Photo: close-up of Penstemon hirsutus blooms.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476823631261230546" /></a>In this close-up, you can see that the dainty flowers are actually bicoloured, mauve and white. Walter Muma's <a href="http://ontariowildflowers.com/">Ontario Wildflowers</a> site has <a href="http://ontariowildflowers.com/main/species.php?id=23">much better close-ups</a>; in the fourth photo down you can see why one of the common names is "beardtongue".
<p>Hairy penstemon is a <a href="http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1753">larval host plant for the beautiful Baltimore checkerspot butterfly</a>. According to <a href="http://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a>, <a href="http://nativeplants.msu.edu/penhir.htm">hairy penstemon attracts beneficial insects</a>, including parasitic wasps and pirate bugs, which prey on nuisance insects. This lovely plant also provides nectar for hummingbirds, according to <a href="http://www.ontariohummingbirds.ca/plantlist.php">the Ontario Hummingbird Project</a>.Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-77933052011136585072010-05-28T13:06:00.001-07:002010-05-28T14:36:02.705-07:00Campanula rapunculoides: my new most hated plant?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBfqF8N0EIT2Xgd2Ggg6oGDjv5wxN8sY6fwrg2fXaQhJn0RJtUkWE4RjUsDN8BsWK6QE3RtuOrhflb1JzV09KmDlFgoApMd0WqgpAW4N9vPYEqWB3Jx_u24ZH5N111MqQXLDIexNk8krE4/s1600/Creepy+bellflower+roots.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBfqF8N0EIT2Xgd2Ggg6oGDjv5wxN8sY6fwrg2fXaQhJn0RJtUkWE4RjUsDN8BsWK6QE3RtuOrhflb1JzV09KmDlFgoApMd0WqgpAW4N9vPYEqWB3Jx_u24ZH5N111MqQXLDIexNk8krE4/s400/Creepy+bellflower+roots.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Roots of Campanula rapunculoides.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476415518469351522" /></a>I have posted before about the evils of <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Alliaria%20petiolata">garlic mustard</a> (<i>Alliaria petiolata, herbe à l'ail</i>), which is devastating forests in the Toronto area, but in our own garden the biggest invader is <i>Campanula rapunculoides</i> (creeping bellflower, or as I call it, creepy bellflower, <i>campanule fausse raiponce</i>).
<p>Although I knew creepy bellflower is <a href="http://www.serontario.org/pdfs/exotics.pdf">invasive in southern Ontario</a>, I hadn't been trying to remove it from our garden because the landlords' son is very fond of it, and it is very pretty (see photo at bottom of post). I thought I would just stop it from spreading by deadheading it. Ha.
<p>Creepy bellflower spreads mainly by roots. It forms a thick mat of roots which make it impossible for anything else to grow. Realizing that creepy bellflower was part of the reason good plants I put in weren't making it, I decided I would try to at least thin it out.
<p>The pile of roots above represents about an hour of hard work. Unlike garlic mustard, which pulls up quickly and easily, creepy bellflower roots break off and stay in the ground when you try to pull them up. Sites recommend digging up at least the top 15 cm of soil and removing all roots. Any bits of root remaining in the ground will regrow.
<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOO9Iwh8ZHs_9NVVad3vLjMWcR67YDQNtFMINBJlika7RjW4lnOYji3qrEAise1OKgH9EshB8DYBP45cPfUnj9xrJF8N7qWmQ7P39IzKMN3I_7q8B3KiQmJA2MaWGd2eAa6G1l22K8jLq4/s1600/weeded+area.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOO9Iwh8ZHs_9NVVad3vLjMWcR67YDQNtFMINBJlika7RjW4lnOYji3qrEAise1OKgH9EshB8DYBP45cPfUnj9xrJF8N7qWmQ7P39IzKMN3I_7q8B3KiQmJA2MaWGd2eAa6G1l22K8jLq4/s400/weeded+area.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: The pathetically small area I cleared of creepy bellflower (mostly, but note leaves of plants growing through the fence.)]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476415527924268770" /></a>And here is the depressingly small area I removed those roots from. You can see the heart-shaped leaves of more creepy bellflower poking through the fence. I could just pull off the leaves, but that seems pretty pointless when the massive root system under and beyond the fence is inaccessible to me. I think that my landlords' son doesn't need to worry about not having his creepy bellflowers any time soon.
<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdULwt-T7-bIvvgfL743kN6fqYEiXMP468xEv4x2L0-yp4ViSjylDZIqJf_MCgeSrgIVB3RrOJSkyh8lu5n0WqqX90r1iwWiu6hL0lpOmUt5-kZs1KpPAzTTo20YKalSDeJlNnXw-8LEU/s1600-h/021.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdULwt-T7-bIvvgfL743kN6fqYEiXMP468xEv4x2L0-yp4ViSjylDZIqJf_MCgeSrgIVB3RrOJSkyh8lu5n0WqqX90r1iwWiu6hL0lpOmUt5-kZs1KpPAzTTo20YKalSDeJlNnXw-8LEU/s400/021.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Campanula rapunculoides in bloom.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358847420270917026" /></a>And here's a picture of creepy bellflower from last July. Yes, it is pretty, but it isn't prettier than the other campanulas. The <a href="http://plants.usda.gov/">USDA PLANTS Database</a> lists three campanulas and kin native to Ontario:
<ul>
<li><a href="http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CAAP2"><i>Campanula aparinoides</i></A>: marsh bellflower (<i>campanule faux-gaillet</i>)
<li><a href="http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CARO2"><i>Campanula rotundifolia</i></a>: harebell (<i>campanule à feuilles rondes</i>)
<li><a href="http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CAAM18"><i>Campanulastrum americanum</i></a> (formerly <i>Campanula americana</i>) tall bellflower (<i>campanule d'Amérique</i>)
</ul>Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-36035309727477726812010-05-23T11:48:00.000-07:002010-05-23T11:50:37.962-07:00Phlox divaricata 'Sweet Lilac': a better photo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QT8e-FIyXWVgfibVWWXuxxbn92J89dWv8DvOmRWF-eamE_WiWWl-zXZzguwupbLRQn3TU95m3KgNvoK0aC9_djSbTcYOQt2017sdaqXYe0XkweBIwV7totF7EgwwEFYZeFplq6kMMBKA/s1600/018.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QT8e-FIyXWVgfibVWWXuxxbn92J89dWv8DvOmRWF-eamE_WiWWl-zXZzguwupbLRQn3TU95m3KgNvoK0aC9_djSbTcYOQt2017sdaqXYe0XkweBIwV7totF7EgwwEFYZeFplq6kMMBKA/s400/018.JPG" border="0" alt="[Photo: Phlox divaricata 'Sweet Lilac'.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474539572200513362" /></a>I'm starting to get used to the weird colour, but I still wish it was the natural lavender colour instead.Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-88952934256475504442010-05-23T11:18:00.000-07:002010-05-23T11:45:17.727-07:00What's blooming in High Park, late May<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAeXM_gv2FS43o4nPIqp6b01lqwBCtPoTGkQoc5M4jmQuW6ACN5L3CnwSHbcmKStIvifzidyxCyXs4wqZYtnUwo-6Y-0zNZkTVh-XD3rU8EGQdQWb1NjfBI1lRXQW6f0OgO7_EY9fRAaQm/s1600/Lupinus+perennis+a.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 202px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAeXM_gv2FS43o4nPIqp6b01lqwBCtPoTGkQoc5M4jmQuW6ACN5L3CnwSHbcmKStIvifzidyxCyXs4wqZYtnUwo-6Y-0zNZkTVh-XD3rU8EGQdQWb1NjfBI1lRXQW6f0OgO7_EY9fRAaQm/s400/Lupinus+perennis+a.jpg" border="0" alt="[Photo: Lupinus perennis in bloom, High Park.]"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474532206569026354" /></a>
I've just got back from pulling garlic mustard (<a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Alliaria%20petiolata"><i>Alliaria petiolata</i></a>, <i>herbe à ail</i>), an extremely invasive plant here in Toronto which <a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/2009/05/alliaria-petiolata-foliage.html">I've ranted about before</a>, with the <a href="http://www.highpark.org/vsp.htm">High Park Volunteer Stewardship Program</a>. The wild lupines (<i>Lupinus perennis</i>, <i>lupin sauvage</i>, shown above) are starting to bloom, so this is the week to go see and admire them.
<p>In all, I saw the following in bloom:
<h3>Natives</h3>
<ul>
<li><i>Lupinus perennis</i> (wild lupine, <i>lupin sauvage</I>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Maianthemum%20stellatum"><i>Maianthemum stellatum</i></a> (starry false Solomon's seal, <i>maïanthème étoilé</i>)
<li><i>Viola</i> sp. (violet, <i>violette</i>)
</ul>
<h3>Non-Natives</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Alliaria%20petiolata"><i>Alliaria petiolata</i></a> (garlic mustard, <i>herb à ail</i>) (<b>invasive</b>)
<li><a href="http://torontogardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Chelidonium%20majus"><i>Chelidonium majus</i></a> (greater celandine, <i>grande chélidoine</i>) (<b>invasive</b>)
<li><i>Hieracium caespitosum</i> (yellow hawkweed, <i>épervière des prés</i>)
<li><i>Silene latifolia</i> (white campion, <i>silène blanc</i>)
<li><i>Stellaria</i> sp. (chickweed, <i>stellaire</i>)
<li><i>Taraxacum officinale</i> (dandelion, <i>pissenlit commun</i>)
</ul>Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4588074949804993687.post-54079748200600791352010-05-19T14:18:00.000-07:002010-05-19T14:30:18.671-07:00Phlox divaricata 'Sweet Lilac' in bloom<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-ftowt8zdWgVsPZomQrWRWIeEI3zVYnlFnD1LMZtZXWucC-48RjU1EzJY3H3Gb1kbJZe_jh93CG2nczLYx35GSfZfRkwYBheEw1wjyY0RhOASAhSW-kXJK4AXi7PIzBbx4EsZlfrwEPG/s1600/Phlox+divaricata.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 382px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-ftowt8zdWgVsPZomQrWRWIeEI3zVYnlFnD1LMZtZXWucC-48RjU1EzJY3H3Gb1kbJZe_jh93CG2nczLYx35GSfZfRkwYBheEw1wjyY0RhOASAhSW-kXJK4AXi7PIzBbx4EsZlfrwEPG/s400/Phlox+divaricata.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473093922683897490" /></a>Last year, we bought this woodland phlox (<i>phlox bleu</i>) at <a href="http://valumart.ca/">Valumart</a>. It wasn't blooming, but based on the tag I thought it would look like the wild type. Unfortunately, now I find that it is this weird shade of magenta instead of the <a href="http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PHDI5&photoID=phdi5_003_ahp.tif">pretty lavender blue of the natural form</a>. I guess that's what I get for trying to buy a native plant at a supermarket instead of a <a href="http://nanps.org/index.php/plant-sources">more reputable source</a>.
<p>It does smell nice, at least.Rosemary Waighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10752443194511306543noreply@blogger.com1