As I grow older, I have found that I enjoy gardening more and more. I want to be able to grow veggies, as well as be able to grow a nice native perennial wildflower garden.
But, I have had bad luck with gardening in the past. I blame that on having poor infertile clay soil and a general lack of knowledge of gardening. Amazingly, Youtube has been such a great source of information. There are countless videos for learning how to grow anything.
Last fall and this spring, I have made an effort to collect some local seeds (ethically of course) and just in the last week or two, I've attempted to germinate Wild Bergamot seeds in a wet paper towel that was left in the dark for a few days. Amazingly, it worked! I have transplanted the sprouts to potting soil and I could have many, many Wild Bergamot plants to propagate into my garden and perhaps in the hedgerow behind my house. I am doing a similar experiment with Black eyed Susan seeds I gathered from a local field.
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| Wild Bergamot Seed Head |
Some plants that I have tried to grow in my perennial garden are:
Tall Sunflower (success)
Coneflower Echnicea (success)
Black eyed susans ( From Lowes not a local variety)
Wild Bergamot
Bee Balm ( From Lowes not a local variety)
Butterfly Milkweed
Common Milkweed
Blazingstar ( From Lowes not a local variety)
Dense Blazingstar (from local seed stock)
I have recently learned about how with coneflowers, at this time of year, you can take a shovel and divide up the bundle of shoots emerging from the ground. I didn't really know you could do that!
I have had good luck at Black Oak Heritage Park in West Windsor for birding and Daily Physical Exercise. Today I had a very drab looking female Pine Warbler (FOS), FOS House Wrens and a FOS Blue Grey Gnatcatcher.
The next week promises to start to get exciting bird wise.
Good Birding!
Dwayne
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| This plant is rumoured to be extremely healthy --- and extremely ... painful !?!? |
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| Grapevine Epimenis Moth |
