first blooms

After three summers, this is the first year the lilacs are in bloom.

This is E's first sniff of sweet lilacs.

This little beauty appeared under our beech tree. The soil is covered in moss and a few sparse grasses. I'm going to look it up in my trusty Newcomb's Wildflower Field Guide.

My gardens are chock full of native wildflowers like this Wild Blue Indigo.

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) is another favorite of mine.

I like the color combination of the Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) and the Wild Blue Indigo (Baptisa austalis).

The mountain laurel is going to bloom any minute now!

I wish I could remember the name of this shrub. I planted it right next to my spice bush and nannyberry viburnum. For the life of me, I can't remember what it's called. Do you know?

Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) is intensely magenta - it practically looks like it's glowing at dusk.

Wild geraniums, sometimes called cranesbill, are so sweet! (Geranium maculatum)

I believe this one is Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) - all I know is that it is an absolute MAGNET for goldfinches in the fall. They love to eat the seeds!

I love gardening. It gets me out in the fresh air, invites me to make our surroundings pretty, and most of all, provides habitat for wildlife. Because the latter is so important to me, native wildflowers are the way to go.

Since native wildflowers would naturally occur in our region, they are already acclimated to our climate and soil type. This means they are extremely low maintenance (no ammending the soil or extra watering necessary!). Native plants also provide valuable food to birds and pollinators.

No, I'm not afraid of bees in the garden. No, I'm not worried about allergies to goldenrods or grass.  No, I do NOT use herbcides, insecticides, or any other "cides" in the garden or on the lawn. I'm not saying that some people don't have valid concerns. But I refuse to live that way. It's just not natural.

I don't want my child to be afraid of bugs or dirt. And plenty of research shows that children who are "sanitized" and NOT exposed to all manners of dirt are actually far more likely to have allergies. So I say let them play and get dirty! If only people could stop worrying so much about anti-bacterial this and hypo-allergenic that. It's gotten WAY out of control.

It's good for our bodies and our souls to be connected to the earth we walk upon. We shouldn't need science to prove that. So here's to sunny, filthy play days in the garden.