That is cool! Haven't seen the monarch caterpillar since Monday but I can't find its chrysalis so I will never know when it hatches. Edit - BTW, that is a female. I'm just so proud that I can remember the difference that I had to show off my knowledge
my second attempt at this, last one ended up within the quote: The second to the last picture I think is Japanese knotweed. Please look this one up. We called it wild bamboo. What I know about it is that it is extremely invasive and nearly impossible to eradicate. Getting all the root is like digging to China. Will establish itself in huge clumps which kill off everything else. I am no fan of herbicide, but it will take a strong one like used to kill poison ivy. That weed will even grow through asphalt. Good luck.
I don't think it is - in 2016 I had Japanese knotweed in an area by the garage and that grew 6' tall in a couple of weeks (if that). I could seriously just about see it grow if I stood there for a few minutes. I ended up digging down 4' and removing all the dirt and roots that I could find, filling it back in with different sand and covering it with heavy rubber mat then pea gravel so it can't grow back thru. Here is a picture of the stuff after I poisoned some starts in May 2016. Sure, it looks sad in this picture, but in a couple of weeks it was 6' tall and I wacked it down Here is part of the hole I dug in June 2016 to get to the root (and the big rock I had to move - that was fun). That being said, nothing says the plant I have nowcan't be a close relative or just look different than what I previously battled. I plan on taking care of it soon. Thanks for pointing out the possibility!
For your sake, I hope I am wrong. Cut one off at the base. see if the center is hollow. As a kid, we would cut them and use them for pea shooters. Maybe send a picture and a leaf to your local extension service.
Monarchs on our Asters, We grow Milkweed for them and and have dozens of caterpillars on them, and at a least a half dozen adult butterflies.......enjoy.
We have a lot of older seed, some 4 or 5 yrs. we still use them. The general rule is a loss of seed viability of 10 % a year. We find it to be much lower in the 4 to 5 % range for our older seeds. And we have approx 75,000 seeds. Stick em' in the ground if you got em'.
That's Golden Rod we have a lot, it's a great August color bloomer for perennial bed back borders. It attracts lots of pollinaters.
We have a whole mess of Jack in the Pulpit in the woods by the brook, Been there 40 yrs. that I know of. Did you know Jack in the Pulpit is one the only "green "flowers.
The whole plant and the flower "Jack" who is in the "pulpit" is green. The seeds, aka, the berries are red.
Late summer and teh gardens are really winding down. But, I did take some pictures Monday evening. Starting with the area next to the swamp. Sweet Autumn Clematis is stretched about 10 feet and climbing my short Azaleas. I really need to clean this area and make it look like a real garden Close up of the clematis - and yes, it does have a nice, sweet scent. The burning bush is starting to blush. The hydrangea tree blooms are blushing too - the spent several weeks in the white stage Below the burning bush are turtle heads, which have been blooming for a couple of weeks, and a good crop of New England asters.
On the other side of the yard I can't remember what these are and I don't think they are a rudbekia- although they could be. This is a Rudbekia, but I failed to get a pot that had a tag when I bought it a couple of weeks ago. Winterberry berries In the Roadside garden, I set up a couple of autumn cabbages in a planter This is poisonous Pokeberry that volunteered at the corner (but outside) of the roadside garden. I love the fall colors of the red stems and black berries. Once it fades, I'll yank it. Roadside garden from the side closest to the driveway. The guara (midway and in front) is really trying to take over the front and is still throwing pink flowers over the rock wall. It may not be hardy thru the winter, but it definitely wants to be remembered. Roadside garden from the property line (you can see some green pokeweed berries at the very left). I set up a planter in front with three mums - red, white and purple. I'm still waiting for the autumn crocus to come up in the platner to the right of the picture.
I have never seen turtle heads before. I enjoyed the picture with the bees on it that you posted a while back.
Went back and looked at the Aug pictures of your roadside garden and it has really filled out by now.
