Spring Ephemerals

Around my neck of the woods, this is the time of year to be on the lookout for spring ephemerals –plants that take advantage of the sunlight coming through the open canopy in the early spring.  Spring ephemerals are woodland, perennial plants that flower and set seed now, before the trees above them have fully leafed out.  In summer, the forest floor will be in deep shade, and the spring ephemerals will be “gone” - with just their underground portions remaining in wait until the following year.


This week I spotted Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) as I walked through the woods:

Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)

and skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus):

Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)

I also came across these spotted leaves that I suspect may be trout lily (Erythronium americanum).  I will keep watching them to see if they send up flowers:

And, I suspect this might be Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum):

Spring ephemerals are fleeting.  Enjoy looking for them in the woods,  and let me know what you find.

Harvesting and planting more

Yesterday I went out to pick some basil leaves to have with dinner, and I discovered a handful of Cascadian snap peas were ready to be picked!  

 

Cascadian snap pea

I'm glad the peas are ready, because it's almost time to stop picking the asparagus.
Although this week we had no shortage of asparagus:

lots of asparagus this week

More lettuce, asparagus, strawberries and cilantro.

Today I harvested more peas, strawberries,
chives, cilantro, and lots of kale.

Aside from the basil which I planted from seed this spring, everything else that I harvested this week was either a perennial that I planted in a previous year (asparagus, strawberries, chives) or a volunteer that seeded itself from plants that went to seed last year (lettuce, kale, cilantro).

This week, the Reduce Footprints Change the World Wednesdays challenge (#CTWW) is to plant some food.   I decided to plant some of the bean and squash seed that I saved from last year.  

Black beans saved from last year, still in their pods.

A mixture of beans I saved including black beans and scarlet runner beans. 

Butternut squash seed saved from a particularly delicious squash.

 I planted the bean seeds along the fence where the peas are now so they'll have something to climb, and I planted two kinds of squash in small hills of compost right next to the beans - sort of a modified three sisters garden minus the corn.

compost hill

I encourage you to plant some food for the Change the World Wednesdays challenge and to check out the wonderful harvests at Daphne's Dandelions.  

 Elsewhere in the garden, the roses are in bloom along with foxglove, columbine, geraniums, irises, oxalis, forget-me-nots, bleeding heart, peonies, and more!

oxalis

geranium

columbine

foxglove

(This post was also shared on Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Party Hop.)

This week in the Garden: (Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Dogwood tree (Cornus florida) with azaleas.
When I planted the dogwood, it was just a foot tall.

 Candystripe phlox (Phlox subulata)that I planted three years ago.
This year some of the flowers in the middle are all-pink.

Lettuce, peas and kale
I like to grow my veggies all mixed together.

Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) and Jacob's ladder (Polemonium reptans).
I bought the Jacob's ladder from the Native Plant Center sale at WCC two years ago.
 Last year I scattered columbine seeds that I had collected next to the Jacob's ladder.
I love the combination! 

(This post was shared on Green Thumb Thursday.)

Bringing nature to you and you to nature, two events:

The Katonah Village Library is hosting a series of Wednesday lunchtime garden workshops (May 7, 14, and 21) leading up to the grand opening of Frances’s Native Demonstration Garden (in front of the library) on May 24^th at 11 AM. 

A library entrance is such a great place to have a native plants demonstration garden!  I love the idea of bringing the garden to the people, right where they are.  The location makes it unavoidable for anyone entering the library or strolling through Katonah, and it lets people see which native plants thrive right there in Katonah.  Hopefully Frances’s Native Garden will encourage lots of people to experiment at home with native plants, which generally require less water, fuss and energy to grow than lawns. 

Is there a location in your community that would be perfect for a native plants demonstration garden?   (or would you choose to highlight another aspect of sustainability:  Alternative energy?   Composting? Something else?)

2.   Canada’s 30x30 Nature Challenge is about to begin.  This group is encouraging people all over the world to seek out nature each day and spend at least 30 minutes in nature for the next 30 days.  I’m game.  Are you?

Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)
spotted while walking my dog the other day.