the garden in fall
It is spider lily week, as noted at Zanthan Gardens. Lycoris radiata is a staple in old gardens across the South. We have a big stand of it ourselves, a heritage from the previous tender of this garden.
Additional drama in our garden is provided by the goldenrod, which I cultivate despite protestations that it is a weed and that it causes hay fever. However I define a weed as what I say is a weed, and I say goldenrod is not a weed. Also it’s pollen is not wind-sown, so it is not the cause of your allergies.
But the real delight in the garden now is the Eupatorium. Not so much for the pale-blue flowers as for the swarms of Monarchs that love them.
The sidewalks are starting to fill with tiny golden elm leaves. The air is still and mild. In the distance I can hear the children playing soccer in the park arounf the corner.
October 20th, 2005 @ 7:15 am
You are right. Goldenrod does not cause hayfever. Up here in the north, it is the simultaneously blooming ragweed that does it. Don’t know if it is ragweed in your neck of the woods. But there are lots of native goldenrods, and some have running roots, to the extent that if you fail to pull a single goldenrod in autumn, it will have taken the bed over in spring. Been there, done that. So I don’t quarrel with people who call it a weed. But it looks good enough that people have named cultivars of it, but then they call it Solidago.
October 20th, 2005 @ 2:44 pm
What is a eupatprium?
October 21st, 2005 @ 10:25 am
We have spider lilies throughout our patio garden, appearing mysteriously every year no matter how much I till and move the soil about. Planted by someone years ago….
October 21st, 2005 @ 10:58 pm
“swarms of Monarchs” … what a lovely thought.