September GBBD: Almost Autumn

I haven't had much time to work in the garden lately, and it shows.  Summer is winding down, but not without some blasts of hot air and humidity before it leaves.  Faded and dried up blooms hang on plants waiting for someone to start tidying up for fall. Weedy wildflowers that I intended to pull are still blooming, probably setting seed for hundreds of progeny next spring.

The coneflowers look especially bad, unless you're into shades of brown, but the goldfinches are still enjoying them, so that's my excuse for not cutting them back.

Flowers aren't the only plants turning brown; we're surrounded on three sides by fields of corn which have been slowly turning to a shade of tan.  Soon it will be harvest season.

The vegetable garden is also pretty well done, except for a few tomatoes and eggplants.  The tomatoes didn't do very well this year--perhaps all the rain we had in early spring--but we've had enough to eat fresh.  The one plant that is still doing well are the 'Golden Guardian' marigolds, added to help deter pests.  And speaking of pests, there must be a few left in the ground, because Sophie always finds something to dig out here.  She refused to get out of this photo:)

The Sneezeweed that captivated me a few weeks ago is slowly losing its petals.  But I like the look of these seedheads, don't you?  They will definitely be left for winter interest.

But even as the summer blooms fade away, there are new additions to take their place and keep the garden interesting--and tasty for the pollinators and other visitors.  Native asters in shades of pink and purple are just beginning to open up.

And there is goldenrod everywhere.  I am amazed by the comments I see on Facebook and other places by the number of people who still confuse goldenrod with ragweed.  Besides being the allergy culprit, ragweed is ugly!  Goldenrod, on the other hand, is innocent and lovely, even if the native species like this can be a bit of a thug.

'October Skies' asters are just beginning to bloom, but the butterflies have already found them.

Agastache, aka Hummingbird Mint, shows no sign of letting up any time soon.  I only wish this plant would survive the winter here.

Another sign of fall--the Viburnum 'Cardinal Candy' is covered in small berries.  This is the first year I've ever seen berries on this plant, which was its main selling point when I purchased it several years ago.

There was a time when there wasn't much blooming in my garden in the fall.  Thankfully, over the last few years I've remedied that.  A new addition this year, Salvia azurea has turned out to be one of those late bloomers.  Actually, I am just happy to see these pretty blue blooms, no matter the time of year because I had thought I had lost this plant.  The tag marking it somehow was moved, and until it bloomed, I thought it was something else.  Glad I didn't pull it, thinking it was a weed!

Late-blooming phlox in the shade garden is a volunteer,

 one I'm happy to have however it came to be here.

Turtleheads also add some color to the shade garden expansion.

One of the stalwarts of the late summer garden are the ornamental grasses.  'Morning Light' Miscanthus rises above another grass, a Panicum.

I always have trouble capturing the Panicums on camera, but I thought this was pretty cool.  I'm not sure if this is 'Shenandoah' or 'Northwinds,' but the reddish tints of the seedheads make me think it's 'Shenandoah.'

And, of course, there are many annuals that keep going up until frost.  I don't know why I haven't planted Gomphrena very often, but I like these tall stems that sway in the breeze, especially in front of the Amsonia Hubrichtii, which is already beginning to change to its fall color.

Nicotania is another late-bloomer, but only because I pulled most of the volunteer seedlings early this spring.  A few escaped my weeding and provide some welcome blooms among the fading perennials.

In the containers, 'Silverberry' Supertunia has been one of the best performers out of all my petunias this year.

And finally, I can't end this Bloom Day post without showing off one of the best late summer annuals, the zinnias.  Monarchs have been passing through the garden for the past few weeks, and they always stop to enjoy the zinnias.

One of my favorite zinnias is the 'Zowie Yellow Flame.'  I brag about these every year, but they really are a pollinator favorite besides being simply stunning.  This bumblebee sure was busy gathering every bit of pollen he could!

Bees and butterflies--what more could you ask for?  

Although I haven't been very busy working in the garden, I have spent a lot of time enjoying it, especially all the visitors this time of year.  Butterflies, bees, and the antics of hummingbirds make this one of my favorite times of the year.


To see what else is blooming this September, check out other Bloom Day posts at Carol's of May Dreams Gardens.

Book Review Club: Go Set A Watchman

Anyone who is a fan of To Kill A Mockingbird has by now either read Go Set a Watchman or, after reading reviews of it, has refused to read it.  The early draft of Harper Lee’s classic was supposedly discovered a year ago and has generated all kinds of publicity and hundreds of reviews, mostly negative. In spite of the fact that more has been written about this book than it probably deserves, I can’t help myself—I just have to add my own two cents’ worth.

GSAW is set twenty years after Mockingbird, as an adult Scout, now known as Jean Louise, returns to her hometown of Maycomb, Alabama.  Maycomb will always be home to Jean Louise, and she is drawn to it despite the fact that she still doesn’t quite fit in.  She meets her old friend, Henry Clinton, who finally confesses his love for her and asks her to marry him.  While Jean Louise considers his proposal, she discovers a shocking revelation about her father Atticus, one that forces her to decide whether she wants to ever live in Maycomb again, but more importantly, whether she can be a part of her own family again.

That shocking revelation, as most readers already know, is that Atticus apparently supports the traditional views of segregation prevalent throughout the South in the 1950’s.  The landmark Supreme Court ruling of Brown vs. Board of Education worried those entrenched in the old belief in separate but equal, and groups were organized to mount a resistance to this ruling.  Maycomb was no exception, and to the horror of Jean Louise, Atticus is a member of that group.

Atticus Finch a racist?? Tell me it isn’t so!  The noble man whose integrity shines through To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most beloved heroes in literary fiction, and Gregory Peck’s portrayal of him in the 1962 award-winning film cemented that opinion.  To find out that Watchman shatters that image is one of the main reasons many readers have opted not to read the new book.

'Vanilla Strawberry' Hydrangeas putting out a few new blooms, but most have faded as the season winds down.

I knew as I began reading the book what I was getting into.  Still, as I finished the novel, I felt as if I needed to erase everything I had just read and remember only the Atticus Finch I have known and loved for years.  The theme of discovering your childhood heroes are humans after all could have worked—but with a completely new set of characters.

Hummingbirds are fueling up for their long journey south very soon.

Aside from this major problem, there are other flaws in the book as well.  When Jean Louise confronts her father, he tries to explain his stance, but the conversations between them are so rambling that they don’t resolve anything.  It is as if Harper Lee was trying to come to terms with her own feelings about her father (if it was indeed autobiographical) and simply couldn’t.  Her decision about her father at the end is unsatisfying and unbelievable.  Uncle Jack’s attempts to explain Atticus's position are also rambling.  A lovable character in Mockingbird, Uncle Jack comes across as eccentric, if not downright crazy, in Watchman.  Speaking of characters, the other beloved characters in Mockingbird—Dill, Jem, and Boo Radley (oh, how I missed him!)—don’t even appear in the new novel.  Calpurnia does appear, but her transformation in Watchman is as disturbing as Atticus’s.  Only Aunt Alexandra, of all people, remains somewhat the same character.

The bees are still busy gathering pollen.

So why did I read this book, knowing full well I was going to be disappointed?  Purely out of curiosity--I wanted to see where Lee began her story and how it evolved into my favorite book of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird.  There are parts worth reading--all of them flashbacks as Jean Louise remembers some of the exploits of her youth.  These humorous anecdotes are different from the ones in Mockingbird, but remind the reader of some of those touches of humor, like the scenes when Jem and Scout try to draw out Boo Radley.  But their placement in the book often distracts from the main story.

What Go Set a Watchman really needed was a good editor--oh wait, Lee already had a good editor, and the result was To Kill a Mockingbird!

Enjoying the visiting Monarchs as they begin their fall migration.

There are those who have refused to read Watchman out of principle, thinking that the publishers were motivated by greed.  If so, I am sorry I purchased my own hardback copy.  On the other hand, it is possible that the publicist/agent felt the world deserved to see how Lee's famous story began. Whatever the motivation, I seriously doubt that Harper Lee willingly granted permission to have this very rough rough draft published.

Harper Lee once told a close friend why she never wrote another book after Mockingbird: "I have said what I wanted to say and I will not say it again."  It's too bad her publishers didn't respect those wishes.


(Photos are random photos of my late summer garden and have nothing whatsoever to do with this book.  Perhaps I could have tied them in with Miss Maudie and her garden, but alas, Miss Maudie isn't in Watchman either.)

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@Barrie Summy

Disclaimer:  As with all the books I review here, I received no compensation of any kind for this review.  I purchased my own copy of Go Set A Watchman, but I'm not sure it will rest in my bookshelf next to To Kill A Mockingbird.

Wildflower Wednesday: Pollinators Need Our Help

Today I am going to "preach to the choir. " I know that you know that many pollinators, especially honeybees and our native bumblebees, are in sharp decline.  I know you are concerned because so many of you post information on your own blogs on this subject. And if you have stopped by after visiting Gail's Wildflower Wednesday post, you already are concerned about helping the pollinators.  So I'm not going to bore you today with things you might already know, but I might have some encouraging news.

Several weeks ago I attended a panel discussion on  helping the pollinators sponsored by three area organizations and held in the County Extension auditorium.  I signed up to attend as soon as I found out about this forum, not only because of the topic, but because I really wanted to hear two of the speakers.

Echinacea Purpurea is a favorite attraction for all kinds of pollinators in my garden.

This was the first time I've had the chance to attend any kind of talk given by Dr. May Berenbaum, the head of the Entomology Department here at the University of Illinois.  Dr. Berenbaum is somewhat of a local celebrity, having started the Insect Fear Film Festival at the U of I over 30 years ago.  The film festival has received national publicity, and I just noticed the 2015 festival will be held this weekend, so stop in for some fun if you're in the area!  Dr. Berenbaum has also received a host of other more dignified academic awards, including the National Medal of Science, which she received in a White House ceremony in November.

If you read Dr. Berenbaum's history of the Insect Fear Film Festival (and it's worth reading), you can tell she is not some stuffy academician.  She is passionate about insects and sharing that passion with the public.  In the 20 minutes or so allotted to her, she gave the audience a wealth of information about the importance of pollinators, including the fact that they are worth about $20 billion to U.S. agriculture.  I learned that while the majority of pollinators are insects, 1 in 100 are vertebrates like birds, bats, and even a few lizards.

Tiny Syrphid flies, also called hoverflies, are important pollinators, too.

While the numbers of some pollinators like honeybees has declined dramatically all over the world in recent years, the interest in this topic is at an all-time high.  So the good news is that more and more people want to help!  Dr. Berenbaum ended her talk by offering some suggestions for all of us such as diversifying our landscapes, avoiding pesticides, and becoming a Bee Spotter.

Native Beebalm, also know as Monarda or Wild Bergamot

The next speaker was someone I was particularly interested in hearing, too, not because he is any kind of a celebrity, but because he is a friend of my family.  A local beekeeper continuing his family's tradition, Rev. Emil discussed the problems in managing beehives and reported that on his last inspection of his hives, there was only a 17% survival rate.  That is a pretty depressing outlook, and I was a little disappointed that he never explained the cause of losses in the hives in recent years.  Perhaps he doesn't know himself, and perhaps it is due to a combination of factors.  However, he did remark that “I haven’t learned yet how to herd bees—bees go where they want to go.”  That drew some chuckles from the audience, but it also highlighted a serious problem for managed bees as well as bees in the wild--nearby fields and lawns sprayed with pesticides.

A familiar sign to Portland Flingers--from Chickadee Gardens--an important reminder to helping the bees!

A representative from Pheasants Forever was also on the panel.  I have to be honest--I knew nothing about this organization beforehand and always assumed from the name that it was some kind of hunting group.  But quite the opposite is true--it's a group dedicated to conserving pheasants and other wildlife through habitat improvement.

A swath of yellow natives--and a wildflower corridor for bees--at a local prairie restoration area.

The speaker also happened to be a Farm Bill Biologist working in several area counties, and in that role he presented what I thought was one of the most encouraging bits of news of the afternoon.  The 2008 Farm Bill calls for more pollinator habitats and specifically is encouraging farmers to turn land not in production or unproductive land into corridors where bees and other pollinating insects can thrive.  Farmers who sign up to participate can receive wildflower seed and even some financial compensation.  This seems like such a great idea, and I hope it is successful.

The final speaker of the afternoon was our own Extension Horticulture Educator Sandy, who offered suggestions for home gardeners on how to create a pollinator-friendly landscape, including plant recommendations and allowing so-called "weeds" in the lawn like violets and white clover to grow because they are important food sources for many pollinators.

Some non-native plants are food sources for pollinators, too.  They prefer single-petaled flowers, like this cosmos, to double-petaled flowers.

 Most of Sandy's recommendations are well-known to those who garden for wildlife and pollinators, so I won't repeat them all here.  But for anyone in the audience who might not know where to start on creating a garden, she recommended a brochure from the Extension, "Plant a Pollinator Pocket."  The pamphlet includes sample designs for a small garden and makes it easy for anyone to get started--you can even download it from the Extension website here, if you wish.

Don't forget late-blooming plants like asters and goldenrods to provide nourishment in the fall.

Although the plight of many pollinators is still in peril, what was so encouraging about this whole forum was that so many people were interested in the topic. There was a standing-room-only crowd in the Extension Auditorium--more than 150 people on a chilly January afternoon.  And these were not necessarily gardeners:  I spotted some familiar Master Gardener faces and some Master Naturalists, but there were just as many farmers and other interested community members as well.  If each one of these takes some action to create a more pollinator-friendly environment on their own property, and then by their own example encourages others to do the same, think of the impact!  

For more ideas on helping the pollinators and different native plants to grow, check out other Wildflower Wednesday posts at Clay and Limestone.  A big thank-you to Gail for being one of the first to inspire me to create a more pollinator-friendly garden and a very Happy 5th WW Anniversary!

Please, Can We Just Slow Down a Little??

Dear Spring,

I am happy that you were not only on schedule this week but actually arrived early, unlike some years when snow or ice created delays for you.  I've appreciated all these warm, sunny days that you've given us the past few weeks.  But please, please, could we just slow down a little??

Less than a week I ago I was proudly showing off the crocuses and the first daffodils on my Bloom Day post, and now suddenly they've been joined by a whole row of the later ruffled doubles, 'Replete.'

Overnight, it seems, the garden has burst into bloom.  I'd like these hyacinths to stay around for awhile so I can enjoy their delightful fragrance as well as their blooms.

I'm loving the blue, blue skies and the budding of the redbud trees. But please, can we just keep these purple blooms around for awhile??  They just appeared, yet already I'm seeing the first tiny heart-shaped leaves emerging.  Yes, those leaves are pretty, but it's the purple shimmer of the redbud in early spring that I love most of all. Usually, redbuds are the first trees to bloom here, but this year they're competing for attention with all kinds of flowering trees, especially gorgeous magnolias in full bloom

I naively thought I would have the whole month of March and maybe part of April to get spring clean-up chores done in the garden.  Yet I barely raked away the thick layer of leaves on the shade garden in time for Mr. 'Jack Frost' Brunnera to put out some blooms.

Unfortunately, I wasn't so lucky with the clematis 'Nelly Moser.'  I usually prune her in early spring, but as you can see, she's already put out so much growth and even a few buds that pruning her now will have to be done very, very carefully.   Hmmm, either Sophie is playing the Easter bunny with her tennis ball . . . or more likely, Mr. P. thought this would be a safe place to hide it while picking up the yard before mowing.  And yes, Hubby has already had to mow the yard!

Different varieties of Muscari were planted last fall in order to achieve the vision of a pleasing range of hues.  A few purple ones are already up, but apparently the others didn't get the early wake-up call.

Everything is moving at breakneck speed, and I'm having trouble keeping up with it all. I go out to the garden to work and get distracted by new blooms everywhere I look.   Ipheion 'Wisley Blue'--starflowers--are low-growing, so it's easy to overlook them if you don't take time to look closely.

I feel like a kid in a toy store, flitting from one flower to another, trying to see everything at once and enjoy it all before it fades away.  The very first tulips are blooming, to my surprise.  Are these 'Fur Elise,' planted in the fall of 2010?  Or did I plant a new variety of tulip here last fall?

If they are 'Fur Elise,' they look different than I remember them--actually, much prettier than last year's bloomers.   I should go check my notes, but no time now . . .

. . . there are more tulips waiting in the wings. I'm afraid the record-setting temperatures we've been experiencing will mean the tulips will fade much more quickly than they should. 

Even the flowering quince is blooming--and it never, ever blooms until May, 

sometimes not till early June.  It's all very strange indeed.

The first bumblebee sighting today on the quince was a delight, to be sure.  I know that he is enjoying this warmth and will stay around for the rest of the season, but that is not true of the spring bloomers.  Dear Spring, I'm trying very hard to live "in the moment" and enjoy each and every precious gift you give us.  But it's hard to do that when it's all rushing past in such a hurry.  Please, could you just slow down a little??