Fall is the best time to bee in the garden!

Sunday was the best day so far this fall for the gardener, the bees and the little asters to play and dance together. It was a wonderful October day with sunshine and a warm breeze. The soil was still damp from the deluge the week before and the shrubs and trees were just beginning to wear their fall colors.

The little asters were dancing in the breeze while Bumblebees flew from flower to flower.  I snapped hundreds of photos but, only a few were in focus. They refused to pose for me, they were caught up in their mad dash to collect pollen and nectar to supply their nests before the cold weather arrives.

But, the ex-asters (Symphyotrichums and Eurybias) were blooming their pretty flower heads off and they were the perfect subject!

If you are new to Clay and Limestone you might not know that the little asters were the first wildflowers I met at Clay and Limestone in mid October 28 years ago. Back then the yard was a weedy mess of non-native lawn grasses and native sedges and Danthonia (I had yet to discover). On the edges among the forsythia and bush honeysuckles were blue and lilac flowers that arched over the lawn and seemed to be covered with bumble bees and honeybees. They were dancing in the autumn breeze.

They completely captured my heart, so, I built my garden for those flowers and the bees.

I move them around, I scatter seeds, I let the wind carry the fluffy seeds wherever it takes them and I add new species that make sense for this garden. By September Symphyotrichum shortii, S cordifolium, Eurybia divaricata, S lateriflorum and S ericoides var. ericoides, S novae-angliae, S praealtum~Miss Bessie, S oblongifolius, S patens and S priceae have begun to bloom. They've spilled onto the paths, they've crept into the wildflower beds and cozied up to the chairs and benches all over Clay and Limestone creating a dancing blue cloud and a buffet for pollinators.

It's a lovely sight and you're welcome to stop by.
oxoxgail

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

Wildflower Wednesday: False Dragonhead

Earlier this month False Dragonhead began it's charming bottom up bloom. It didn't take long for the Bumbles to arrive on the scene.

The plump bee bodies just scoot down into the tubular flowers

Mother Nature designed Physostegia virginiana, aka, False Dragonhead with bumblebees in mind. The tubular flowers are perfect for plump little bee bodies to slip right in to find the sweet spots of nectar and while pollinating the flowers.

Nectar robbing carpenter bees do not pollinate False Dragonhead flowers

Although, Bumbles are the primary pollinators of False Dragonheads, many other pollinators stop by to visit. Swallowtail Butterflies and Silver spotted skippers with long proboscis can reach far into the corolla for nectar and Carpenter bees, although, much too large to fit into the corolla, cleverly drill directly into the flower side to get at the nectar.

I was introduced to Physostegia virginiana years ago as False Dragonhead and the name has stuck with me. I have since learned that many people know it by Obedient plant, a misnomer if I've ever heard one! This plant is anything but obedient, but, I digress and will get back to that topic a little later. It's called Obedient Plant because flowers, when pushed from their normal position, are supposed to remain for a while where they have been turned. The common name dragonhead alludes to the open mouth of the corolla which was thought to resemble the fabled beasts of yore!

 the lower lip is divided into 3 lobes – the larger central one functioning as a landing pad for insects

False Dragonhead is a clump-forming North American native perennial that is found in fields, prairies, thickets, woodland openings and borders, along rivers and streams and lakesides in much of the eastern and central United States, as well as eastern Canada.  In other words, it prefers a moist spot in full sun or part shade! This member of the mint family typically grows 2-4' tall on stiff, square stems and features spikes of pinkish, tubular, lipped, snapdragon-like flowers which bloom in my garden during September and early October, just in time for late arriving pollinators which are making a mad dash to collect as much nectar and pollen for their last brood.

this striking plant needs to be massed for the best color effect...

False Dragonhead or dis-Obedient plant has a reputation for being an aggressive spreader in a garden setting. That is true, but, I don't mind its colonizing manner, it's a plant that looks better massed and what better way to get a large planting then to have it cooperate so well. I find they divide easily and there are plenty of plants for other spots in the garden or to share with friends. If you find it too aggressive you can plant it in a dryer garden spot or cut the flowers off before it goes to seed. You might even get a second flush of blooms, too.

Bumbles are the primary pollinators of Obedient plant

 Despite it's colonizing tendency, False Dragonhead is an immensely popular garden flower and several cultivars have been developed, some with variegated foliage and others are said to be less aggressive. It's really an outstanding plant that lights up the garden and looks especially gorgeous with grasses, sedges,  ex-asters, late blooming phlox, boltonia and goldenrods.

The flowers have no scent, but look smashing in a fall garden

Don't be put off by Physostegia virginiana's reputation as an aggressive plant. Yes, it's quite the colonizer in moist situations, but, it's well worth a little weeding and pulling out extra plants. It's a beauty and "a wonderful plant to add luminous rosy lavender late season color to the bronze golds and yellows of a moist meadow" or garden (source) and something that's becoming increasingly important to many of us, it's not a preferred deer food!

xoxogail

Attracts: Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Bees

Hardy in zones 3 to 7
Prefers moist, slightly acid to acid, well draining soil
Full sun to partial shade
Weed suppressing quality (it's a mint family member)
Divide in the spring, prune to reduce height and control floppiness in  early summer
Narrow, toothed leaves
2 to 4 foot tall, clumps and spreads

Hybridized for height, color and variegation (P 'Vivid', P 'Miss Manners' and P 'Variegata')

Welcome to Clay and Limestone's Wildflower Wednesday celebration. WW is about sharing and celebrating wildflowers from all over this great big, beautiful world. Join us on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Remember, it doesn't matter if they are in bloom or not; and, it doesn't matter if we all share the same plants. It's all about celebrating wildflowers. Wildflower Wednesday participants, please leave a comment when you add your url to Mr Linky. 



Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

A Few Good Reasons To Plant For Pollinators

One

Asclepias tuberosa

Two

Agastache 'Bolero' with Bumble

Three

Oenothera fruticosawith small carpenter bee

Four

Echinacea pallida 'Hula Dance'

Five

Aronia melanocarpa with native bee

Six

Sleeping bee

 Seven

Carpenter Bee on Penstemon

I appreciate all the pollinators at Clay and Limestone, but, my favorite has always been the Bumble.

Bumbles won my heart dozens of years ago when I noticed how hard they worked in the garden. They were the first pollinators up and about each morning and the last to leave each night. I found them sleeping on flowers on cool mornings and watched them nectaring and gathering pollen on the last of the latest blooming ex-asters in November. They were a joy to watch and I wanted to learn all about them. (from earlier post)

I learned that they are social bees that build nests in the soft earth or leaf litter.  

I learned that they are generalist and will visit almost any nectar and pollen producing plant, but, like all creatures, they do seem to appreciate a varied diet, so I have planted dozens of plants, native and specially chosen exotics,  for them to choose among!

I always knew they were gentle, but, I learned they did not swarm and rarely stung.

I discovered that they are major pollinators in vegetable gardens and orchards~If you want tomatoes, you need bumbles and if you love orchard crops, berries, watermelon, sunflowers and other fruits you also need bumbles. They pollinate 1/3 of what we eat and that 80% of the world's crops are dependent upon them for pollination.

I read that Bumbles and other native bees prefer yellow, purple, blue, violet and white flowers~But, I've seen them on almost every colored flower in my garden.

 

I also learned that their numbers are decreasing and that gardeners are important partners in helping them make a comeback. 

There's lots we can do for Bumbles and the other pollinators that live in and visit our gardens. (Five Things You Can Do Right Now To Save Pollinators)

We can:

• plant large swathes of nectar and pollen producing plants
• plant host plants~so the offspring of butterfly, beetles and other pollinators can feed
• plan for bloom from late spring to early winter
• bee sure to include water
• provide nesting sites for a variety of visitors: Build a pollinator condo, leave some bare ground for earth nesting bees and pile decaying logs for beetles who like to tunnel.
• practice peaceful coexistence. Bees sometimes choose to nest in inconvenient places. Rather than exterminating them, think of it as an opportunity to see and learn about them up close. (thanks to MOBOT for this last one)  

xoxogail 

  Of course you all know the one of the very best things you can do for pollinators is to never, ever, ever, ever use pesticides!

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

Going, Going, Gone...November 2012 Blooms

The October Blue sky over the garden has been beyond incredible. So has the weather! Had the warm weather continued the garden would still have many wildflowers in bloom, but, after two days in the mid-seventies, wind, rain and freezes arrived to remind us that this is Autumn in Middle Tennessee.

The Japanese Maples in an homage to the Golden ginko down the street dropped all their leaves as if on cue. They had been stunning.

Almost every perennial in the garden is mush or toast, except for several Rudbeckia trilobas that refuse to quit blooming, a lone Gaura lindheimeri that is limping along, Helenium autumnale that is trying to bloom, the annuals I covered, and the very, very late blooming native ex-aster.  If you take anything away from this post, please note that R triloba and Symphyotrichum praealtum  should definitely be planted in your garden, both are beyond belief floriferous and frost/freeze hardy! The Bumbles and little bees with thank you.

Photo from November 15, 2012

As I sit here, looking over my photos and writing about the last of the blooms at C and L, I can only conclude one thing~This has been a delightful autumn, worthy of praise!

If I think about the extended bloom season, the stalwart asters, the stubborn rudbeckias, the loyal Bumbles...One plant stands out as exceptional and worthy of praise and that is  Hamamelis virginiana.

Just look at those flowers, they light up the garden against that Autumn Blue Sky!

xoxogail

Inspired by the words of Elizabeth Lawrence, “We can have flowers nearly every month of the year,” Carol of May Dreams Gardens started Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. On the 15th of every month, garden bloggers from all over the world share their garden blooms. So head over to Carol's to take the Mr Linky magic carpet ride to more gardens than you can imagine visiting in one day! 

 This is my November 2012 contribution.

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

It's Time To Bee-gin Thinking About Bees!

It's never, ever, ever, too early (or too late) to begin thinking and planning for bees in your garden.  Of course when I say bees, I really mean all the pollinators!

Of course, I appreciate all the pollinators at Clay and Limestone, but, my favorite are the Bumble Bees.  They won my heart dozens of years ago when I notice how hard they worked. They were always the first pollinators up and about in the garden each morning and the last to leave each night. They weren't picky about flowers and visited any nectar and pollen producer I planted.  

They were a joy to watch and made me smile.  I found them sleeping on cool spring and autumn mornings  (yes, you can gently touch them) and  watched them nectaring and gathering pollen on the last of the ex-asters late in November.  They were the hardest working creatures in my garden and I wanted to learn as much as I could about them.

I learned that they are social bees that build nests in the soft earth or leaf litter.  

I learned that they are generalist and will visit almost any nectar and pollen producing plant, but, like all creatures, they do seem to appreciate a varied diet, so I have planted dozens of different native plants  for them to choose among!

I always knew they were gentle, but, I learned they did not swarm and rarely stung.

I discovered that they are  major pollinators in vegetable gardens and orchards~if you want tomatoes, you need bumbles and if you love orchard crops, berries, watermelon, sunflowers and other fruits you also need bumbles. They pollinate 1/3 of what we eat and that 80% of the world's crops are dependen upon them for pollination.

I read that Bumbles and other native bees prefer yellow, purple, blue, violet and white flowers~But, I've seen them on almost every colored flower in my garden.
 

I also learned that their numbers are decreasing and that gardeners  are important partners in helping them make a comeback.  There's lots we can do~We can plant for them, we can provide water and shelter from the elements; we can provide nesting sites for them,

Salvia azurea

But, there's one thing that we must never do~We must absolutely never, ever, ever use pesticides in our gardens.  I mean never!

Their  future is in our hands

I don't think that's asking too much, do you?

xoxogail

In case you want to read earlier pollinator posts~

Now Is The Time To Bee-gin Thinking About Bees ( here)
This Is The Place To Bee ( here)
If You Could Plant Only One Plant In Your Garden~Don't (here)
Must Bee The Season of The Witch (here)
Go Bare In Your Garden (here)
We can't All Be Pretty Pollinators (here)
Eye, Eye Skipper, Big Eyed Pollinators (here)
What's In Your Garden (here)
Royalty In The Garden~Monarch Butterfly (here)
Carpenter Bees (here)
Got Wildflowers?(here)
It's Spring and A Gardener's Thoughts Are On Pollinators (here)
The Wildflower and The Bee (here)
A Few Good Reasons To Plant Milkweek (here)
Got Shade? You Can Have Pollinators ( (here)
A Pollinator friendly Shrub (here)
Big Goings On at C and L (here) 
Where Have All My Pollinators Gone (here)

Other bee posts you might want to read~

Count Yourself Lucky To Have Hoverflies ( here)
Bumblebee Hotel (here)
Still Taking Care Of Bzzness (here)
My Sweet Embraceable You (here)


Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone."