Pat and Jim's Gardening Adventure: July 2013

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

swampus milkweedi

I finally decided to come inside and blog. I’ve been in the garden since school let out in June and I haven’t wanted to do anything else except work in the yard. I count sitting in the yard as work because someone has to watch all the birds, bees, butterflies, and critters as they go about their day.

A few years ago, Pat and I bought a couple of swamp milkweeds (asclepias incarnate) from Scioto Gardens in Delaware Ohio. We wanted to attract bees and butterflies. I also wanted an exuberant plant with a pretty flower, so that when it started to take over the garden, Pat might not notice. The plant attracts bees and butterflies like crazy. I can hear the buzz of a zillion wings moving around the yard. It also self-seeds like nobody’s business.

I have seeds and plants for the asking. They need wet soil and sun. As you’ll see, they can get to be 6 feet; but only after a couple of years.

wordless wednesday

soil and climate

Our yard is clay. Clay, clay and more clay. Clay all the way to the center of the earth. The people at the conservation district told us that " we're at the wrong end of the glacier". I nodded the nod of the intimidated and have repeated it ever since. We are true belivers in sweet peet and work in 15 yards every spring. Our back yard faces north and is a good 6 feet lower than the house. Most of the back yard is moist year round. Except for the north east corner, the yard is under shade or partial shade. The front yard is mainly sunny. We are in zone 5b.