Showy Lady Slipper

On Monday I walked the Lake Wobegon Trail between Avon and Albany to see the Showy Lady Slipper. This has been on my bucket list since I learned it was the state flower in grade school.  They are beautiful.  My husband wondered why such an elusive flower was the state flower. It's a good question, and I have no idea why.  

P.S. You may notice a gap in posts--I was traveling in the UK.  I hope to post some garden photos soon. They have a longer growing season and my husband is an Anglophile...it's tempting. 

A Fairy Garden

I swore I'd never fall for gardening trends, but I fell for fairy gardens.  There are so many cute and clever ones out there that I get sucked into the internet vortex and lose time.  This is my version with a sedum and veronica. The moss and violet are from the yard. I bought the characters at a local garden center.  The "house" is a mug I made years ago with my daughter at a paint-your-own establishment in our small town.  It was too heavy once I filled it with water, so it got pushed to the back of the cupboard until I re-purposed it here. I can't claim to be a great crafter or artist, but I like this small touch in my garden. 

Rain and Lilacs

My favorite time of year might be when the lilacs are blooming and the mosquitoes aren't biting.  Do you see that white blob next to the blue pickup in the background?  That's my rain barrel, which is collecting fresh water as I type (perfect day to blog!). I tightly cover the openings because that lovely water could be a source for breeding mosquitoes. Well, the water's lovely now.  It gets murky if I don't use it and the days get warm.  No matter how funky it gets, the plants love it. 

Three Wild Violets

"Three wild violets" sounds like a good title for romantic fiction, but in reality it's the three Violas I have growing in my yard. The one above is the common violet, which many people will recognize in their lawns.

This is downy yellow violet.

And I suspect this is dog violet. I like this online source about Minnesota wild flowers:  https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/ 

P. S. This is a busy time of year for gardeners (and mothers of students!). I'll still post, but less frequently until the end of June. 

Happy May Day

In honor of May Day, I'm posting pictures of what's happening now. That's rhubarb above (with a stray dandelion--I didn't notice it until I posted the picture!). This time of year I celebrate every little thing because the plants and I have survived the long winter. I've planted some seeds, too. Let the growing begin!

These crocuses are the only survivors from the winter of the voles. (I took this photo last week.)

I was pleasantly surprised that all of the garlic survived.  I didn't get a chance to mulch it properly because of the early snow. 

The daffodils are almost ready to bloom.

The wild plum looks fantastic--completely covered in blossoms.

Wild violets live throughout the lawn.

Spring and Siberian Squill

During my countdown to spring, I featured Scilla, and now they're blooming. Spring has arrived!  But with little rain, we have dangerously dry conditions. This weekend a wildfire a mile or so from my house inspired me to hook up the outdoor hoses (as if that would help). The forecast calls for rain, so I'm hopeful.

P. S. Images and writing on this blog copyright Linda Larson 2015. 

Countdown to Spring: Zinnias!

Happy first day of spring!  It's the vernal equinox, an excellent time because our days are getting longer.  More light equals a happier me. However, the growing season has yet to arrive here in Minnesota. No matter...I offer you a bit of color with fabulous zinnias. The photo above is a Zowie zinnia with a Monarch butterfly.

Above is Cherry Profusion zinnia, which grows as ground cover. Below is a Lime green zinnia, a big flower in an unusual color. I just love the versatility and ease of zinnias!