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Saturday, June 20, 2015

Bushier Shrubs, Wildflower Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Today I am linking with-

Wildflower Wednesday hosted by Gail of Clay and Limestone, wildflowers are an essential part of a well-rounded garden and add dependability and pollinator satisfaction to your garden.

Today's Flowers hosted by Denise

Saturday's Critters hosted by Eileen

Macro Monday 2 hosted by Gemma

I Heart Macro hosted by Laura

Macro Monday Mixer hosted by Stephanie at All the V's

In a Vase on Monday hosted by Cathy

I have a native shrub, Twinberry, Lonicera involucrata, in the Honeysuckle family that has been growing a couple of years here and made a very scraggly bush-

After the leaves fell off-

I looked up pruning and it does well with winter renewal pruning, so I cut it to short stubs of branches-

Here is the new thicker growth coming up in spring-

And here it is now with the branches taller, and with flowers-

Yellow flowers, like twins in a blanket of 4 bracts that turn red later-

When camping at Cape Lookout, I saw one far ahead of mine with berries forming, and bright red bracts.

Meanwhile the big stand of Fireweed, Chamerion angustifolium, is blooming, behind some Yarrow that starts out dark pink then fades to white-


A lot of the tall fireweed decided to flop this year, so I decided to cut it for an arrangement, along with some Erigeron (purple fleabane daisy) and golden Coreopsis, with a little Lady's Mantle thrown in for a filler.

Erigeron speciosus, not low growing as the description said.   I started them last year-

Meanwhile, over in the woody area, the native Phacelia hastata is blooming, to the delight of the native fuzzy yellow bumlebees and hover flies-



This tiny, skinny hover fly seemed entranced with my camera-


Some other flowers I grew from seed surprised me with blooms, Sweet William Diabunda mix-

Daylilies are starting to bloom as well, here a red Spider form-

Philadelphus 'Belle Etoile' is blooming abundantly-

Summer is exceeding expectations for weeds, but at least the flowers are also blooming, the peas are ripening, and the early blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are producing as well.   What is fruiting for you?

Hannah                                          or cameras are macro

©Weeding on the Wild Side, all rights reserved.   I enjoy reading your comments and will visit your blog and comment too, if possible.



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50 comments:

  1. TexWisGirlJune 20, 2015 at 5:48 PM

    beautiful blooms of all kinds. and happy bees.

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    Replies
    1. HannahJune 20, 2015 at 6:13 PM

      Thanks, Theresa, I'm glad the native pollinators have some flowers to make them happy, and easier to photograph too.

      Delete
  2. Cranberry MorningJune 20, 2015 at 6:55 PM

    Beautiful wildflower bouquet! About my snake: I did a Google images search for Wisconsin bull snake and the results pretty much affirmed what we've always called a bull snake.

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    1. HannahJune 20, 2015 at 7:04 PM

      Thanks, Judy, The fireweed is really abundant this year. I'm used to the ones with patterned scales on their heads. Those must be special for your area.

      Delete
  3. rainfield61June 20, 2015 at 9:22 PM

    Beauties from the ordinary.
    And are only discovered by a camera.

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    1. HannahJune 21, 2015 at 10:43 AM

      Thanks, Rainfield, and I could find it all in my yard.

      Delete
  4. UnknownJune 20, 2015 at 11:03 PM

    I love the daylily, but all the flowers are beautiful and they make the tiny critters so happy. Have a wonderful weekend, Hannah!

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    1. HannahJune 21, 2015 at 11:02 AM

      Thanks, Gunilla, one of my goals is providing lots of food for the pollinators. The native plants are not so wonderfully attractive but you can see from the spirals of flower buds on the Phacelia that they bloom a very long time.

      Delete
  5. RomiJune 21, 2015 at 12:16 AM

    The bumblebee is captured beautifully in your photos. Thank you for sharing your wonderful flower photos.

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    1. HannahJune 21, 2015 at 11:06 AM

      Thanks, Romi, I am blessed with lots of native plants I don't have to work to grow. It's great that they let me get close to the bumblebees, which are very skittish.

      Delete
  6. Bob BushellJune 21, 2015 at 1:58 AM

    Beautiful flowers, pretty Hover-flies.

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    1. HannahJune 21, 2015 at 11:07 AM

      Thanks, Bob, I can't seem to capture bird photos but the tiny hover fly was very cooperative, even kept trying to land on my camera.

      Delete
  7. eileeninmdJune 21, 2015 at 2:50 AM

    Hello Hannah, the bees are at your place. I love all the pretty blooms! The daylily is gorgeous. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Have a happy day!

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  8. Minoru SaitoJune 21, 2015 at 4:10 AM

    Hi! Very fantastic post. The day lily photo is very beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. HannahJune 21, 2015 at 10:41 AM

      Thanks, Minoru, the insects were very cooperative, and I like the spider forms of daylilies. I liked your Japanese mountains and waterfalls. I hadn't seen that part of Japan before.

      Delete
  9. Diane AZJune 21, 2015 at 6:37 AM

    I enjoyed seeing all of the blooms and the beautiful arrangement you made. Cute bumble bee and hover fly too! Have a good day! :)

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    1. HannahJune 21, 2015 at 11:35 AM

      Thanks, Diane, I'm glad you enjoyed them, I really liked your cute hummingbird nest photos and chick.

      Delete
  10. A Colorful WorldJune 21, 2015 at 8:56 AM

    Love the daylilies! And the fuzzy bumble!

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    1. HannahJune 21, 2015 at 11:40 AM

      Thanks, the daylilies just got started so they will be around for a while. The yellow bumbles seem to sparkle.

      Delete
  11. Pieni LintuJune 22, 2015 at 12:49 AM

    Lovely flowers!!

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    Replies
    1. HannahJune 22, 2015 at 10:26 AM

      Thanks, Pieni, it's great to have so many I don't have to take care of every year, the ones I started this year I have had trouble getting planted out.

      Delete
  12. abriannaJune 22, 2015 at 5:32 AM

    Wonderful flowers here. Our honeysuckle starts out orange red then fades to yellow orange.

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    Replies
    1. HannahJune 22, 2015 at 10:37 AM

      Thanks, Abrianna, while in the honeysuckle family, the Twinberry is not what most people would think of as honeysuckle, though the tubular flowers do resemble. Some of my other Lonicera don't seem to bloom at all. My wild honeysuckle is orange, and has quite a large involucre. Maybe I can find some blooming soon.

      Delete
  13. DonnaJune 22, 2015 at 7:20 AM

    Hannah there is so much here to love...so many plants and critters and I love the vase....I have native fleabane popping up all over and I think some fireweed as well...but oh how you arranged this vase that speaks of meadows to me...simply stunning!

    ReplyDelete
  14. HannahJune 22, 2015 at 10:41 AM

    Thanks, Donna, the trailing fireweed turned out better than I expected, though quite large and hard to photograph. I love your Astrantia arrangement, so elegant, and though I finally bought some last year I think it couldn't take my dry bed and didn't return. It's so hard to keep everything watered.

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  15. Kris PetersonJune 22, 2015 at 10:42 AM

    That's a very pretty vase, Hannah - I love the delicate colors. It reminds me that I need to find a way to use my own Erigeron in a vase sometime soon. As to your question, my blueberries are almost gone (but I may have the squirrels to thank for that) and my grapes are ripening (I'm protecting the clusters this year in the hope there may be some left by the time they're ripe) but my persimmons are dropping from the trees far short of maturity (maybe due to our drought?).

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    1. HannahJune 22, 2015 at 11:15 AM

      Thanks, Kris, it's actually a ceramic tea pot my daughter made at art school, she made a bunch and they are too heavy to be actually functional but this one is tall so great as a vase.;-) You are so far ahead of us being so far south, it will take a long time for our grapes to ripen. It's just the early blueberries that are ripening now, I will keep having blueberries until nearly frost since I planted so many varieties. I would love to get persimmons, but so far have failed. The native persimmons show no sign of blooming, maybe they have to get to 50 feet tall first, and the grafted persimmons I bought died, though one rootstock is still alive. Persimmons do so much better in California, I hope you get some.

      Delete
  16. LauraJune 22, 2015 at 1:22 PM

    What a beautiful assortment of plants,blossoms and creatures Hannah! Thanks so much for sharing the love up-close with I Heart Macro ♥

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    Replies
    1. HannahJune 23, 2015 at 2:42 AM

      Thanks, Laura, there's a lot going on in the garden at this time of year. I wish I had a nice pond with frogs like you do.

      Delete
  17. maryaustriaJune 22, 2015 at 2:58 PM

    An amazing series of flowers and critters! Gorgeous shots!

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    1. HannahJune 23, 2015 at 2:40 AM

      Thanks, Mary, I wish I could get set up to do better macros like yours. Maybe someday, but I just snap photos of insects when there is opportunity.

      Delete
  18. AnonymousJune 23, 2015 at 5:52 AM

    Your flower arrangement looks perfectly summery. I have a pink pass-along yarrow that looks similar to yours. Beautiful day lily.

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    Replies
    1. HannahJune 23, 2015 at 8:30 AM

      Thanks, Susie, I don't know when your daylilies bloom, mine are just getting started. The yarrow should continue quite a while, I just wish it didn't fade out.

      Delete
  19. fabolJune 24, 2015 at 1:41 AM

    Your Twinberry got really pretty from being cut back! You have a really lovely garden - full of blooming and buzzing! Kind regards, Attila

    ReplyDelete
  20. HannahJune 24, 2015 at 10:48 AM

    Thanks, Attila, it has its good points, but also lots of bad weeds. But I concentrate on making it a good home for the pollinators, so I get great fruit set. I liked your walnut liqueur recipe, I planted lots of nut trees but I never get any ripe nuts because the squirrels eat them green, so maybe I could pick some green ones now and do your recipe.;-P

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  21. DeniseinVAJune 24, 2015 at 3:04 PM

    Gorgeous photos Hanna. Thanks for linking with Today's Flowers. Thank you so much for visiting my blog while I was away. Have a great week.

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    1. HannahJune 25, 2015 at 1:59 PM

      Thanks, Denise, you're so dedicated to keep your site up while you are gone. I hope someone comes along to keep your meme going.

      Delete
  22. LeoviJune 24, 2015 at 4:13 PM

    Delightful flowers, I love the delicacy that conveys its delicate colors!

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    Replies
    1. HannahJune 24, 2015 at 6:56 PM

      Thanks, Leovi, your colors are always so lovely.

      Delete
  23. LeaJune 24, 2015 at 4:34 PM

    Beautiful blooms! Great insect photos!

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    Replies
    1. HannahJune 24, 2015 at 7:01 PM

      Thanks, Lea, I was fortunate to find some friendly pollinators for a change.

      Delete
  24. ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®©June 25, 2015 at 4:56 AM

    Nice work with your shrub. I am a big fan of bumblebees, meself.

    ;-)

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    Replies
    1. HannahJune 25, 2015 at 9:05 AM

      Thanks, thunder, but now I don't know whether to cut it down again this winter. The yellow bumblebees are so pretty, and generally more friendly than the black ones. Sometimes the bumbles get excited and buzz around madly but fun to watch.

      Delete
  25. AnonymousJune 25, 2015 at 8:08 AM

    My goodness, you are linked to many memes. I must have been out of the linky life for too long. I did not know so many existed. Thank you for visiting my pollinator post. I see you too enjoy photographing our little friends. Very nicely, I might add. I know how small are those hoverflies. I should consider Gail's meme because I post on many natural wildflower gardens (designed and wild) including my own tiny property. I love your blog name. It fits my style too. Weeds are allowed in my garden - at least until they seed, then they get their heads chopped off! Thanks again for visiting GWGT.

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    1. HannahJune 25, 2015 at 9:34 AM

      Thanks, Donna, I have several memes I post to every week, but it is only the tip of the iceberg, there are many more. The ones that are open consistently every week are the easiest. Since the definition of a weed is a plant that is not wanted or is out of place, most of my weeds are in the grass family, annual grasses that are very hard to control, especially if they manage to seed. Dandelions and relatives are another big group, my main struggle is trying to keep them from reseeding. I enjoyed your Toronto fling tour.

      Delete
  26. EG CameraGirlJune 25, 2015 at 10:51 AM

    I enjoyed seeing all the wonderful wildflowers blooming in your area!

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    1. HannahJune 25, 2015 at 2:01 PM

      Thanks, EG, the west coast wildflowers are different, but not nearly as many kinds as the east coast ones.

      Delete
  27. AnonymousJune 25, 2015 at 2:08 PM

    Finally catching up with vases! I love the look of the 'droopy' fireweed in your arrangement this week - any idea what the English name would be - is it like our 'rose bay willow herb'?

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    Replies
    1. HannahJune 25, 2015 at 3:56 PM

      I googled it and that is the common name. It seems to occur in Europe as well. Apparently it was common as a Russian tea.

      Delete

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