Berries on My Mind

 Common Yew (Taxus baccata)

Lately I've been noticing and thinking about berries, so I thought I'd reflect on them here on the blog. Some are poisonous and some are edible, but this post is simply about how beautiful they are and how they provide food for birds and other wildlife. For information on human edibility, check out this link. All berries shown here are in my garden.

Smooth Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)

Fuchsias (F. 'Marinka') (unripe berries above the flowers)

White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda)

Cranberrybush Viburnum (V. trilobum)

Beautyberry (Callicarpa 'Pearl Glam')

Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)

Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)

There are more, but this was a quick reflection. How are the berries doing in your garden? Happy autumn!

Looking Back and Planning Ahead

I'm dreaming about the growing season ahead; are you? Some garden friends in warmer climates are beginning to see new growth, while others in even milder locations have year-round active gardens. Here in the Upper Midwest U.S., our growing season doesn't really get going until March. While, yes of course, changes are happening under the soil and under the snow and ice all winter, the growing party doesn't really start until spring.

So...I'm reflecting on some of the highlights of last year's garden as I plan ahead. In March, it started with the budding and blooming of Snowdrops (Galanthus spp.), shown above.



Other fabulous and reliable garden friends that made their appearances in March included the ornamental Alliums. (Though most actually bloom in late spring and early summer, it's fun to see the new growth poking above the soil and preparing for the season ahead.)

Crocuses (C. vernus) greeted late March and early April with bright color and tenacity, even as winter and spring duked it out with fluctuating temperatures and variable precipitation.

Some of the Hellebores (H. orientalis) began blooming in March, but their performance really got going in April.



The rabbits didn't eat/destroy the Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) last year because I provided adequate caging.





The Baltimore orioles and ruby-throated hummingbirds were right on schedule in early May. 







Alliums (A. giganteum), Salvias (S. nemerosa), and Dwarf Korean Lilacs (Syringa meyeri) took the stage in June, their cool pink and purple blooms great for floral arrangements.

Viceroy butterflies (shown here) seemed more plentiful last summer, while their look-alikes, monarchs, were lower in numbers in my part of the country than they have been in the past.



Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) offered cheery July blooms to pollinators and humans, alike.



In August, the garden flowers I'd planted from seeds, bulbs, and corms earlier in the growing season offered vases full of color.



A family of red-tailed hawks visited our backyard. That was a thrill!



Also a thrill: every monarch I saw, because there were so few.

In September, I found a patch of Downy Gentians (Gentiana puberulenta) during a hike, definitely a beautiful discovery.

The juvenile hummingbirds, as always in late summer/early fall, kept me entertained.



The Maples (Acer spp.) colored the front yard view in October.



At the same time, the garden was still full of plentiful blooms, since we didn't have a heavy frost until late in the month.



We had plenty of Tomatoes for BLTs late into the season.



The hanging Fuchsias even bloomed into early November.

And I saw monarch butterflies later in the season than I've ever seen them before, though I'd seen very few earlier in the year.

It was a beautiful growing season, and I'm looking forward to the one ahead in the coming months. Though these are all blooms and thrills from last year, I'm linking into Gail's Wildflower Wednesday over at Clay and Limestone. Happy memories and best wishes for the growing season ahead!

Birding Highlights of the Past Year

This past year was full of birding surprises and pleasant visits from regulars, such as the cold-weather dark-eyed juncos, and the always-present cardinals and black-capped chickadees. The regulars are no less appreciated than the rare sightings and the warm-weather winged friends, and we encourage their presence and survival.

But it was fun to experience some unusual birding encounters in 2021.



In mid-spring, we witnessed the first venturings of some great-horned owlets at the nearby state park. I zoomed in on this one from a distance, to show how well they were camouflaged with their surroundings.



This tree swallow and its mate were preparing a nest in one the state park's nesting boxes. Tree swallows aren't uncommon to this part of the country, but we don't see them on our shaded home property.



Also at the state park, I was happy to see this handsome bluebird, another species we don't see at home because of too much shade.

However, back at home we were thrilled to have a Carolina wren (or a family?) living with us for a large portion of the summer. We're beyond the normal range for their limited migration, but perhaps with climate change they're more likely to visit in future summers? I heard the songs of this shy bird frequently, but only saw it a few times.

While red-bellied woodpeckers are common visitors in our garden, Baltimore orioles only stop by for a short stretch in late spring. We see them nearly every year in May, and the oranges help attract them for a closer view.



I admit the birds I miss the most during the colder seasons are the ruby-throated hummingbirds. They are very common residents, with numerous daily sightings from May through mid-October. Their arrival in spring is joyful, and I'm sad when I don't see them for a couple of days in the fall because I know their season here is ending.





I'm looking forward to your return in a few months, little buddies.

Vignettes for Happy Holidays

It's winter, and currently, we're warm--warm for this part of the world in December, anyway. The snow is melting after two days with temperatures in the 40sF. But by the time you read this, things will be different: There won't be much snow left for Christmas, and our HIGH temps will plummet into the 10sF. It truly will be a good time to stay inside--warm and cozy.

Tuesday, I ventured out to the garden to take stock, and I found a few fun scenes.



In October, I'd plopped some ornamental kale into my front porch pots, and they're still alive. They really perk up on warm days. I didn't have the heart to clear them out for traditional December decor, so I simply stuck some gold filament curlicue stems in the pots with them.



The Hydrangeas have plump buds that, most likely, will perish in the deep freeze ahead. I guess I should wrap them in burlap, but I never do. Oh well; some years they flower, some years they don't.



This time of year, it's fun to investigate the various red berries in the garden. I saw very few remaining on the Cranberrybush Viburnum (V. trilobum). I don't know what that means?



The Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) always holds some berries into the spring, when the robins come back to nibble on them. 



The Yew berries (Taxus baccata) never fail to offer a cheery holiday vibe.

I need to find a safer spot for the wren house in the spring, but it's cute resting on the rock wall for now.

This new bird house fits well in the crook of the Redbud tree (Cercis canadensis).



One of my favorite vignettes this time of year: the yin and yang of warm green moss and cold, white crystalline snow.



These Juniper (Juniperus squamata) branches appear to be clawing their way out from under a snow blanket.



This English Ivy (Hedera helix) is still thriving and evergreen. Usually, I bring it inside for the winter, but I have other pots full of it, and this one is heavy and difficult to move. It's placed adjacent to a warm, heated pond. Will it survive our subzero days?



Finally, the Mums (Chrysanthemum spp.) illustrate the dramatic transition from autumn to winter so well.

To all my plant- and nature-loving friends, may your holidays be bright and your travels into the New Year safe and healthy!

~ ~ ~

Check out Anna's Wednesday Vignettes at Flutter & Hum.