milkweed

If you've been following Comptonia for a while, you may recall that I've been trying to establish milkweed plants for several years. They are very interesting plants all year round, and I photograph them often. In the winter, there is usually a dry stalk or two in a jug on a windowsill.

November 2017

For many years there have been a few milkweed plants up by the goat barn - at least, I think they are milkweed plants - but they have never produced flowers in that shady spot. So when two plants appeared a few years ago on the steep, sunny bank next to the terrace vegetable garden, I took care to protect them.

Last year, instead of two plants, there were a few. I saved some of the seeds and scattered them on the other side of the driveway - one of the last holdouts for bittersweet because it's not fenced, and it's hard for me to let the goats browse there.

July 2018

This year, enough milkweed plants sprouted that I felt that the population was established and I can start balancing a bit. In fact, there were enough plants growing on both sides of the driveway that I took a few down that had appeared right in the garden, shading the new raised bed.

The main reason I have tried to establish a milkweed "stand" is in hopes of bringing back the Monarch butterflies.

And yesterday, for the first time, in the big vegetable garden:

Yes, it is a Monarch.

 It is a Monarch on a zinnia.

The milkweed is only a few feet away, so maybe it will go there next.

Nope. Another zinnia!

I'm sure it knows where the milkweed is.

I was taking these photographs from such a distance, I could not even be sure it was a Monarch - or that any of the images would be in focus - until I put them on the laptop last night. So happy to see these snaps!

Let's hope it will be the first of many sightings.

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garden questions for you

It hasn't rained yet today, so after chores Piper and I ambled around taking photographs and rolling in enchanter's nightshade and getting covered in tiny sticky seeds. I'll let you guess which of us did which.

Tall plants have been having a difficult summer. The amsonia, bellflower, anise hyssop, bee balm - even the generally unstoppable comfrey - have been taking a terrible beating from almost daily downpours and thunderstorms. The moment the amsonia was finished blooming a few weeks ago I cut it way back, but I try to retain the pollinators' favorites even when the stems are horizontal. Unfortunately, a lot of anise hyssop has been knocked down across my working paths, so it must either be cut, stepped over several times each day, or trodden into the ground. So far I'm doing a little of each.

When the rain stops however briefly, the bees are out in full force. They must be having a challenging time. Even the flowers that managed to bloom despite a lack of sunshine have often been shredded by the rains. I'm making sure the hummingbird feeder is always freshly filled, to help take up some of the slack.

And here is a question for you. Have you ever seen bee balm do this?

Some of my bee balm stems are producing a second inflorescence rising from the center of the first:

I am very curious to know if this is unusual or if I just haven't been paying attention!

That anise hyssop is certainly popular!

The first goldenrod has just begun to bloom and is covered with insects.

Does anyone know for sure what these are?

I'd love to know.

They look a bit like wasps but I'm terrible at insect IDs:

For such tiny flowers, this plant - Verbena urticifolia - 

carries quite a collection of long common names.

Three are: nettle-leaf verbena, nettle-leaf vervain, and white vervain.

I just love finding these flowers. Such a miniature treat.

~~~~~

markmaking monday

Lilies and daylilies have often modeled for Daily Markmaking recently.

And on we go. Today will be Day 225 - can you believe it?

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saturday snaps

Apologies for the murkiness of this morning's images...it's going to rain. Again.

I don't know much about hummingbirds, but I think this one may be a baby.

It was all rumpled and fluttery and a bit unsteady.

Maybe on it's first outing!

I hope you have a lovely Saturday.

And I hope you get rain if you need it!

~~~~~

loose ends

Remember the third part of the big construction project that began in October 2017?

It's finally being finished.

"I'll believe it when I see it."

~~~~~