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Every year I hear people talking about finding tiger lilies along the roadside, but what they are really referring to are orange ditch lilies. While they both grow in similar locations and are both orange, they are distinctly different flowers.  Tiger Lily ©Nannette Richford The tiger lily (Lilium lancifolium and Lilium tigrinum) produces clusters of bright-orange blooms speckled with black or crimson dots. The bloom faces downward with its petals folding backward to expose the center of the flower. Tiger lily blooms are long-lasting. Foliage lines the stem of the flowers. Tiger lilies reproduce via underground bulbs.  Orange Ditch Lily ©Nannette Richford The orange ditch lily (Hemerocallis fulva) produces bold, orange blooms atop a slender stem. Although there are several buds atop each stem, each opens for only one day. As the petals shrivel and fall from the plant, a new bloom opens to take it's place. Foliage is grass-like and separate from the flower stem. Orange ditch lilies do not have spots. Ditch lilies have tuberous roots. Tiger Lilies and Orange Ditch Lilies are both attractive flowers that can be found growing wild along roadsides in early to midsummer.
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 Pink New England Aster ©Nannette Richford New England Asters (Symphyotrichum novaeangliae) can be found throughout Maine and other New England states, but they are not exclusive to New England. These hardy wildflowers also grow across much of the continental United States. Blooming in late summer or early fall, they continue to bloom until a hard frost in late fall. New England Asters blanket roadsides, ditches and other open areas, creating vibrant color after many of the native flowers have faded. Color ranges from purple-blue to lavender and pink. They are often found in clusters and may have several variations of color within the cluster as the plants self-seed readily and frequently grow close together. They may reach heights of six feet, but most are three to four feet high. Legend of New England AstersAccording to Greek legend, the aster originated from the tears of the goddess Astraea. When the Greek god Jupiter decided to flood the earth to stop men from warring, Astraea was so distraught she asked to be turned into a star. But, her lofty position as a star did not spare her despair. When the flood waters receded, Astraea was overcome with sorrow for the loss of lives and began to cry. Her tears magically transformed to stardust and fell to the earth. The lovely aster flower sprung forth where her tears dampened the earth. New England Asters Are a Valuable Food Source for Pollinators
These flowers are valuable to pollinators as they provide nectar for bees and flying insects in the fall when there is little available from other flowers. A cluster of New England Asters is typically abuzz with activity from bees, butterflies and other flying insects. Growing AstersWhile you can purchase cultivated New England Asters from seed companies and nurseries, you can also dig up wild asters for your garden bed or to plant along fences or the edges of your property. If you choose to dig up asters, make sure you ask the property owner for permission.
 I'll be honest with you. I've seen plenty of ads for hydroponic systems that claim your pants will grow 5 times faster than they do in soil, but I really didn't believe it. My daughter gave me an Aerogarden for my birthday and although I can't say for certain the plants grow 5 times faster in the hydroponic unit compared to soil, I can tell you that I am impressed with their growth. For my first attempt, I decided to start two Early Girl tomatoes, two Takii's Ace pepper plants and two strawberry plants. As you can see above, the tomatoes and peppers are doing great. The strawberries were slow to germinate and only one has survived. I can literally see growth every day. I intend to pot the tomato and pepper seedlings as soon as they outgrow the Aerogarden. In fact, the tomato plants are crowding out the peppers and strawberry already and will need to be moved soon. I'm not sure, yet, what I will start next. I'm thinking of trying some flowers for the flowerbed this summer, but then herbs would be nice, too. If you are limited on growing space or would like to grow flowers or herbs all year long, an Aerogarden or other hydroponic unit may be right for you. You can find them at your local home improvement or gardening center. Thanks for stopping by. Until next time . . . Happy Gardening! Areogarden Update! It has only been three days since my last photos, but the plants are growing so quickly I felt I had to document it. The biggest tomato plant is getting so big that it is beginning to block the light for my other plants. I am considering potting it in soil and taking a cutting from it to start another plant or two in the Aerogarden.
I intended to pot the tomato plants for the garden this summer anyway, but I had no idea they would outgrow the Aerogarden this quickly.  Nearly everyone knows that dandelions are edible and that their nectar and pollen provides bees (and other insects) with one of the first foods in the spring. But those are not the only reasons to love these hardy weeds. According to folklore, the seed heads carry some magical properties, too. To learn more about the symbolism of the dandelion seeds, check out my blog post MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY - DANDELION SEED HEADS.
Until Next Time . . . HAPPY GARDENING!  If you are from Maine, or visit the state often, I'm willing to bet you refer to this rose as a wild rose. I know I always have. That's why I was surprised recently when I did some research on wild roses. Check out my recent post Wild Rose vs Old Garden Rose to find out how to tell if a rose is really a wild rose or simply one that has survived for years after it has been abandoned.
Until Next Time . . . HAPPY GARDENING!  Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica) I posted this photo of a delightful Siberian Iris recently on my photography site and thought you might enjoy it. Check out the blog post Siberian Iris - Macrophotography for more information about the Siberian Iris, including a charming legend explaining how the Iris flower got its name.
Until next time . . . HAPPY GARDENING! You may have noticed that I have not updated this blog for quite some time. While there is a good reason for that, there really isn't any excuse. You see, I recently took up photography. My original intention was to use that photography for this site as most of my work is nature photography focusing in flowers, plants, insects and garden critters. However, I began posting the photos on my photography site and neglected this one. My post today may be of interest to you because it is about lacewings. To learn more about Lacewings and why they are beneficial to your garden, check out my blog post on my photography site.  Green Lacewing Fly  Many people mistakenly think the Hummingbird Moth (Hemaris thysbe) is actually a tiny hummingbird. It is easy to understand why. These moths feed on many of the same flowers (they love lilacs and roses) and are extremely fast. Their clear wings typically create a blur of activity as this moth darts from flower to flower.  Those aren't feathers!The body of the hummingbird clearwing moth is covered with hair. In the one above, the hairs look similar to a bubble bee with both yellow-orange and black. Some hummingbird moths have bands of colors, but the clearwing moth in Maine is commonly yellow and black. Although you typically cannot see the markings on the wings, you can see in the photo above that they are edged in golden or rusty browns to nearly black. They create the illusion of beautiful stained glass. Tufts of hairs at the end of the clearwing hummingbird moth's body resemble the tail feathers of a hummingbird.  What is that coiled tube, anyway?The proboscis is the coiled feeding tube that the moth (or other insects) uses to drink the nectar from the flowers. Many people do not realize that the proboscis also contains the trachea so the moth can breathe. If you look closely in the photo of the hummingbird moth sipping nectar from the lilac, you can see his proboscis entering the center of the lilac flower. The moth straightens the proboscis when he eats, but it remains in a coil when he is not feeding.
If you enjoyed the photos and information about Hummingbird Moths today, don't forget to share the love and share my blog with your friends. Until Next Time . . . HAPPY GARDENING!  If you grew up in the state of Maine, you probably know these flowers as Stinking Benjamins. It is easy to understand the "stinking" portion of the name, as this trillium emits the odor of rotting carrion to attract the flies it needs for pollination. However, I have often wondered how it got the name Benjamin. Like many words in the English language Benjamin comes to us via a corruption of an ancient word. It appears that Benjoin was the name of an ingredient taken from flowers in Sumatra that was used to make perfume. Hence the name Stinking Benjamin was attributed to this lovely flower. In some locations Stinking Benjamin applies to other trilliums, too, but in my part of Maine we reserve the name for the red trillium. The red trillium (Trillium erectus) is also known as purple trillium or wake-robin. The name wake-robin may be derived from either the fact that the trillium blooms at about the same time robins return, or may be named after similar European flower. Native Americans referred to it as birthwort or birthroot, as it was used to induce labor and treat female problems.  Painted TrilliumsYou may have called these delightful trilliums white trilliums, but that really isn't accurate. White trilliums are pure white with no traces of red or purple in the center. This lovely flower is actually a painted trillium (Trillium undulatum). True white trilliums (Trillium grandiflorum) can be found in Maine but are more commonly found in Canada.
Trilliums belong to the lily family and reproduce via underground rhizomes, a thickened root similar to a bulb. I hope you enjoyed today's photos and the information about the Trillium. If you are enjoying my blog, please feel free to share it with your family and friends. Until next time . . . HAPPY GARDENING!  If you grow lupines in your garden or have them growing nearby, you may have noticed clusters of fuzzy, grayish-blue bugs on the stems in early spring. You may have also noticed ladybugs on your lupines. The bluish-gray bugs are lupine aphids. While lupines are their primary host, they will sometimes infest other plants as well. I spotted several "weeds" along the side of the road loaded with lupine aphids a few days ago. Fortunately, they have not found their way to my garden bed, but they are on an adjacent property. If you are wondering why the ladybug is hanging out, you might be surprised to learn that she is after a tasty meal. Ladybugs devour aphids and keep coming back for more.  Are lupine aphids harmful?The lupine aphids pictured above cover the stems of the lupine plants and suck the juice from the plant. If the infestation is severe, they will damage or kill the plant. They may also inject a virus into the stem that will cause your lupines to wilt. If infestations are light, you may not see damage in your lupines. The aphids hang around, even after the blooms are gone, and feed on the lupine plant until midsummer. When the population gets too great, they will develop wings and fly to a new host plant. Typically, aphids are in flight in late summer or early fall in my area of Maine.  Ladybugs to the Rescue!If you want to get rid of lupine aphids, try ordering ladybugs and letting them loose near the lupine plants. You can purchase 1500 ladybugs on Amazon or a similar site for under $10.00. To encourage the ladybugs to stick around, consider purchasing Duncraft's Ladybug house and place a small sponge soaked in sugar water inside the house to attract the ladybugs. This convenient little house provides shelter for the ladybugs and even gives them a place to overwinter when cool weather arrives. I hope you enjoyed the photos of ladybugs and aphids on lupines today and found the information useful.
Until Next Time . . . HAPPY GARDENING! |
