Tag Archives: Autumn Joy sedum

Meals and sweet fields.

my garden, nature, , , ,

Who is likely to finish off the Narrow-Leaf milkweed?


Would it be the Monarch caterpillar or the aphids? That was my question last weekend, when Bea spotted the lone caterpillar, and we both took pictures of it. The next day it was still chewing away without any sense of impending scarcity. Unfortunately, that particular plant had volunteered to grow all on its lonesome, far from the clump of like species on the other side of the plum tree.

The following day, the cat was on the ground, but we propped it back up, between the leaves of Autumn Joy and a milkweed stem….

But the next day, it had disappeared. The few remaining milkweed leaves were left to the sucking insects. Maybe a bird had enjoyed our little friend for breakfast? It was nice to know you, little caterpillar….

A happier sight is nearby: Right there on the vast fields that are Autumn Joy flowers, can be found plenty of food for all the bees  — or hairstreaks — who want to come. And they do!

Quiet drizzle inside and out.

home, my garden, , , , , ,

In the latter half of January, it always happens: I see spring coming. For several weeks the most growth in the garden has been of the green algae in my fountain, because I’ve neglected to put in the drops that prevent it. The sun shone briefly this afternoon, but by the time I got outside to clean leaves and redwood needles out of the little pump, I had to do it in a drizzle. The drizzle faded to a mist, and I could take a couple of pictures. The fruit trees have been pruned, and the sedum is sending out new shoots that are little cups to collect the fine rain.

Indoors, how companionable to have this color of paint in my new sewing room,
Kelly-Moore’s Quiet Drizzle:

Yes, work progresses, slowly. You can be sure that when I have
more complete results to show you, I’ll dedicate a long post to those refreshing views!

Joy for bees and for me.

my garden, nature, , , , ,

 

 

The Autumn Joy sedum was green and in bud for so long I forgot what to expect from it. But now its big heads are pink, which means little flowers have opened all over for the bees to stick their heads into, and those fields of flowers are so vast, several bees can range over them at once and not feel cramped.

Other things of interest in the garden are the toadflax at its thickest yellow cheeriness, and my one hydrangea that is as blue as I could want. I put lots of pine needles in the bottom of this pot, and wonder if that helped. My others had changed to pink, and I bought special food for them, hoping to affect next year’s bloom.

My garden was planned so that something is blooming almost every month. That means there is always something that has recently finished blooming and needs trimming, like the yarrow behind the sedum above. And that means always some reason for my gardener helpers and me to be out there taking joy with the bees. 🙂