A Sunday Drive to the Apple Orchards

We drove to the Baraboo Hills and the Driftless Region on Sunday, thinking the fall color would be brilliant. It wasn't--it was "past peak"--but it was still an incredibly beautiful day, with partly cloudy skies, light winds, and temperatures in the high 60sF/20C.



While many of the leaves had fallen, the sunlight hitting the foliage and the bare branches was pleasant.



And the day was bright.

Actually, our quest extended beyond fall color. We were heading for some apple orchards--to stock up for pies, crisps, and snacking. Our first stop was one of our family's favorite destinations--Ski Hi Fruit Farm, just south of Baraboo. The weather was great for a picnic before apple shopping.



Fortunately, we'd packed a lunch, so the fishman and I plopped down on a picnic-table-for-two amid the fruit trees, overlooking the valley.



After buying some apples and other goodies, we explored the property and read about the homestead's history. Ski-Hi, owned by the Bassett family has been in continuous production for more than 100 years. The family grows about 25 varieties of apples on 50 acres.





It's a beautiful property with great views, in addition to the apples as the main attraction.



Our next stop was Oakwood Fruit Farm, near Richland Center. This was our first visit to this orchard, also a pleasant experience. Oakwood has an attractive display area and family-friendly farm props and activities.



It also has great views of the surrounding hills and valleys.









The pumpkins and other produce were tempting, but we already had some at home.



Oakwood, run by the Louis family, started production in the early 1900s. The orchard includes more than 20 cultivars, grown on about 200 acres.



By the end of the day, we'd purchased 15 pounds of apples (Cortlands, Spartans, and Royal Galas), a jar of Bucky Badger horseradish, and six apple cider donuts (notice two are missing?). After snapping this haphazard photo, I'd planned to re-do it, but by then there were only two donuts left. Have you ever tasted apple cider donuts?!

Warm Days After Flirting With Frost

We’ve escaped the icy grips of Father Frost in our garden, which means an extended season of flowers. Yippee. In the countryside and along the roadways, few nectar sources remain except Asters, White Snakeroots, a few Goldenrods, and the occasional reblooming wildflowers--confused, perhaps, that a restart of warmth means it could be spring.

Of course, we know better.

So the autumn march begins ... stuffing front porch pots with hardy kales and cabbages, decorating the house for Halloween and Thanksgiving, planning for upcoming family gatherings, and preparing our psyches for that season of white and gray and brown.

But not quite yet ...



Since we had a threat of frost recently, I clipped the brightest Zinnias and some Coleus foliage for a floral arrangement.



But after two nights in the mid-30s F (~2C), followed by a warm-up, the Zinnias (Z. elegans) are popping into bloom again.



Of course, Sedum 'Autumn Joy' is in its element.



The Lantanas (L. camara) are budding and blooming as if it's May.



Same with the Pentas (P. lanceolata 'Graffit Violet').



I didn't clip the remaining 'Sensation Mix' Cosmos (C. bipinnatus), thinking they could take a light frost. Turns out, they didn't need to fight for life anyway. I'll have a few more for cuttings next week.



'Cathedral Sky Blue' Salvia (S. farinacea) looks straggly. I could trim it to encourage more blooms, but that would be silly since it's living on borrowed time. Might as well let it bloom for the straggler pollinators.



The Lamiums' (L. maculatum) little hoods also welcome any pollinators still hanging on to the last warm days of the growing season.



'Marinka' Fuchsias in hanging baskets are like ever-bearing shrubs. I overwintered them last year in the sunroom, and I'll do the same this year. Why not save a few bucks? The hummingbirds do seem to enjoy them so!



Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) has been blooming since August, adding clouds of soft blue to the garden.



I haven't seen as many bees on the Mistflower lately (unlike earlier in the season when they were busy buzzing around it), but I did notice a stink bug and a lady beetle, among other insects.



My vision for this part of the garden is starting to take shape: Mistflower makes a pretty backdrop for the 'Vibrant Dome' Asters (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae).

The days are shorter and the light is lower in the sky. Autumn is with us, but it's a mild one this year.

How about you? What's blooming and brightening your garden this October?

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day
Foliage Follow-Up

The Zoro Garden in San Diego's Balboa Park

Butterfly season is winding down here in the north.

This sad fact had me thinking about my first butterfly encounters of the year. They happened during our March trip to San Diego for a family event. On one of the days, I had a couple of hours to explore Balboa Park--obviously, not nearly enough time--but I tried to make the most of it. (My first post about Balboa Park highlighted the Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden.)

I knew next to nothing about Balboa Park before arriving. So, I basically started walking around--briefly glancing at the map to figure out the general direction and highlights I wanted to see.

Remember, I had recently landed in San Diego from the Midwest, where winter was just breaking its icy grip. Those of you who live in colder climates know the feeling--it's like coming back to life again after sleeping for several months.



Anyway, suddenly the world was full of color. Every blooming plant seemed like a gift, including these African Daisies (Osteospermum spp.).



And these Pride of Madeira (Echium candicans) blooms, covered in bees.

As I meandered my way along the paths, suddenly I noticed butterflies everywhere--Western Tiger Swallowtails, Painted Ladies, Monarchs, and others. Following the butterflies, I descended a stairway into an area surrounded by rock walls, Ficus and Palm trees, and winding, circular paths.

Visitor7, Zoro Garden, CC BY-SA 3.0

I didn't realize it at the time, but I had entered the Zoro Garden. I wish I'd taken more photos, but it was under reconstruction while I was there. The above public domain photo provides a glimpse of a small portion of the six-acre sunken grotto garden before the reconstruction.

Even during my visit, with construction, butterflies were everywhere.



And then I noticed this.



And this (see the caterpillar?).

Those familiar with this plant know it's ravaged Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica). And when it's "ravaged," that's a good thing. It means Monarch caterpillars have had a feast and are nearby. And if you're lucky, you'll also see Monarch adult butterflies.



I was lucky that day. There were many Monarch butterflies in the Zoro Garden.





I was so pleased to see them sunning on the ferns and nectaring on the blooms--mostly on Lantanas (L. camara), which confirmed my plan to include more Lantanas (annuals north of zone 7) in my own garden.



I also noticed some incredible Passion Flower vines and blooms (a host plant for Fritillary caterpillars/butterflies). I believe this is Crimson Passion Flower (Passiflora vitifolia).



This cute lizard was sunning on the rocks.



I'm thinking it was a Western Fence Lizard?

I lingered in the area taking in the butterflies and the sun and the blooms. I really had no idea about the significance of this garden until later, when I did some research.

Let's just say it has an interesting past. In an effort to keep this blog rated "G" (or at least "PG") I send you to a link about the Zoro Garden's history.

A friend with connections to Balboa Park's gardens says Zoro Garden has a promising future, as well--building on its recent past serving as a butterfly garden with host and nectar plants for the various stages of butterfly life cycles. Here's a brochure about the species you might find in the garden.

To get a sense of the Zoro Garden--where to find it (it's tricky) and what it's like to walk into it--here's a video someone posted to YouTube:



On my way back to the San Diego Zoo to meet family members, I noticed more Tropical Milkweed, more butterflies, and more caterpillars.









It was a good day.

Plant of the Month: Zigzag Goldenrod

Goldenrods (Solidago spp.) are among the best nectar sources for supporting late-season native bees and migrating butterflies like the Monarch, according to The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.



If you have a shady garden as I do, the choices within this genus are somewhat limited. But one of the Goldenrods that performs well in partial shade, and even in heavy shade, is Zigzag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis), also known by the nickname Broadleaf Goldenrod. It also tolerates sunny locations. It's a sweet little bloomer in addition to helping the pollinators.



Just as the Coneflowers, Joe Pyes, and other summer bloomers fade, Zigzag Goldenrod shares its bright, yellow flowers. My patch is blooming against a trellis, filling in an area where Foxglove was the focal point during the early summer.



Zigzag Goldenrod is native to most of Eastern North America, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden. It prefers moist, woodland soils, but when established will tolerate some drought. Other plant characteristics include:

• Height and spread: 1 ft. to 4 ft.;
• USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8;
• Propagates by self-seeding and rhizomes;
• Prefers medium moisture and soil, but tolerates a range of soils and precipitation; and
• Distinguished by zigzag stems and toothed, broad leaves.

On the day I took most of these photos the wind was strong, so the bees weren't landing much. But I did see quite a few insects on the plants--spiders, ants, and beetles of various types.



I think this is a Striped Cucumber Beetle--not a friend of the vegetable gardener. Fortunately, no veggies are located in this part of the garden, and the beetles didn't appear to be damaging the flowers. Maybe that's a good technique--plant the Goldenrod outside the vegetable garden to attract the beetles away from your edibles. Just a thought?



I also like the appearance when the flowers begin to fade--the seedheads are fluffy and attractive.



Zigzag Goldenrod has been in my garden for only a few years, but it's earned my admiration and respect for its beauty and functionality in the autumn landscape.

(I'm linking this post to Wildflower Wednesday.)