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This page includes an overview of the gardens in my yard. The prolific yellow flowers are evening primrose. They light up our yard for 2 weeks in June. The maps were created using CoreDRAW® of the some of the gardens in order to remember where I planted hardy milkweed, to help plan for future plantings and to aid in counting the number of milkweeds for the MLMP studies. Note that the maps are not to scale, but are merely a reference. The maps were updated 1/17/13.
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Fence Garden: Perennial milkweeds in this bed include swamp, purple, butterfly, and common. We added a spicebush (not shown on the map, but it is to the left of the popular tree in 2010 for the spicebush swallowtails to lay eggs on and they found it! The sassafras trees, also for the spicebush swallowtails, were added in December 2012. Taken June 2012.
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Milkweed Garden: This bed was started in 2010 and it added over 200 milkweed plants to the yard. By 2012 the narrowleaf and whorled had spread to the point where an accurate plant count would not be possible. Perennial species include: broadleaf, oval-leaf, whorled, tall green, Hall’s, Indian, Eastern Purple, poke, prairie, Davis, narrowleaf, spider, green antelope horn, and a single redring. The border has parsley for the black swallowtails. There are also 3 turtlehead plants to lure Baltimore checkerspots, which have a unique chrysalis. Taken June 2012.
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Rose Garden: This flower bed gets the most sun. There used to be a dozen roses growing in this bed, but now I am down to 2. Common, Hall’s, showy, Davis, swamp, and butterfly milkweeds are in this garden. Taken June 2012.
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House Garden: Maybe later I will map the north and south sides of the house. The north has Ice Ballet Swamp. The south used to have poke, but the local cats dug it up when they used the area for a litter pan. This garden winds around the whole house and includes the chimney garden (documented separately due to the amount of milkweed in it). Taken June 2012. |
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Steet Garden: At the end of 2012 I removed my rose hedge because it was hit by a virus. I then decided to reduced the size of the garden so that I would not be spending so much time weeding along the street. Milkweeds include common and butterfly. Taken June 2012.
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Patio Garden: Most of our azaleas surround our patio. Perennial milkweeds include butterfly and swamp. We enjoy entertaining here during the summer. Taken June 2012.
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Shed Garden: By the end of the summer cardinal vine, Oldfield milkweed will and star milkvine will be covering the trellis. Perennial milkweeds include showy and swamp. African and butterfly milkweeds did not do well in this bed. Taken July 2012.
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Chimney Garden: Perennial milkweeds include eastern purple, narrowleaf, green antelope horn, desert, Davis, Oldfield and broadleaf. The Dutchman’s Pipevine was introduced to lure pipevine swallowtials. During the winter, this is the warmest spot in the yard. The crocus will bloom in this flower bed 3 weeks before blooming elsewhere in my yard. Taken June 2012.
Valerie’s Suet Recipe: take a 1.75 cup round disposable container (the kind you can get at the grocery store for food storage) and fill it with bird seed, nuts, raisens, etc. Everytime you eat bacon, drain the grease into the container. If need be, you can microwave it for a few seconds to settle everything. Store it in the frig. When the container is full, put it in the freezer. When you are ready to use it, let it sit on the counter for a few minutes, and then you will be able to pop it out of the container. With a little effort, the suet cake can then pressed into one of the square wire baskets made for suet. Use it to feed your feathery guests (and squirrels) during the cold months of the year.