MORE FROM MEADOWLARK GARDENS ON 6-30-24

 I found this pretty little red flower very easily. It really popped out against the vibrant lush green fauna as I was walking along the path. It is the Florida tasselflower. I have never heard of it and if I have seen it before, have never noticed. It is also known as Cupid's shaving-brush, Red Florida tasselflower and one more, Flora's paintbrush, with a botanical name of Emilia fostbergii. Thankfully non-toxic to humans and pets. 

A member of the sunflower family, it is a common yard weed. Although many dislike seeing these pop up in their lawns, the pollinators are very attracted to its small bright red flowers. It reseeds itself easily with dandelion-like fluffy seeds and can become invasive if not removed. Unusual for me, I only took one photo instead of my usual dozen or so! Who shouts "Hurray to the digital age?" My one photo will have to do this time, I am blaming it on the heat.

I enjoyed seeing the Cardoon. Its other names are globe artichokes, Prickly artichoke and Cardy, with a botanical name of Cynara cardunculus. I have shared it before but maybe I missed some information. I would have to check with previous posts to find out, so at the risk of repeating myself: It was first brought to the United States by Spanish and French settlers in the middle of the nineteenth century. It was popular in ancient and medieval Greece, Rome and Persia, and appears in written records from as early as the 4th century BC.

They are edible but I have no clue how to prepare them and I am going to have to go to bed soon as it has been a long day. Next time I photograph them I will delve into that side of things more thoroughly, but there is plenty of information online if you want to do a search. I did learn that they are an ingredient in one of Spain's national dishes - cocido madrileño - and have long been an important part of the Christmas meal in Spain's northern regions, and at least one Italian region. Also, Cardoon flowers are used as a vegetable rennet in some traditional Spanish and Portuguese cheeses.

You have to be careful when handling them because of those nasty looking spines, so it would be wise to wear gloves. There is lots of information in the link below my first photo of the Cardoon, if you would like to find out more. They towered above me, are said to grow 3 feet to 6 feet but these seemed much taller. In the winter finches eat the seeds and then when spring appears, if any of the soft down remains, it may be used to line nests.

When they bloom, bees and other pollinators will visit them. The bees were very busy when we were there. The flowers produce lots of pollen and nectar between June to September.  I certainly enjoyed watching the bees for a while. I always find them fascinating little creatures. There were two types of bee, the smaller one remained elusive and the bigger of the two was easier to photograph.

One last little bee plus the tiny insect in the top middle of the photo.  That's as close as I could get.

And finishing off with a photo of the two of us (at the beginning of our walk). We didn't take our usual long one around the garden because of the heat, but even so we had a very enjoyable time. We just have to pace ourselves more and know when to quit!  Me and the mouse in my pocket that is, as Gregg is a Virginia boy and can take these high temperatures. I on the other hand wilt like a lettuce, and that hasn’t changed since we started married life at our apartment in Alexandra, Virginia. The following year when my family visited in the height of summer, they were the same. How about you, can you handle humidity?

I always have more photos to share from the garden, but I will give this one a rest for a while. It is also getting late and it's time to put my laptop to bed. 

Thanks for looking everyone, 

and have a great Wednesday.

LAST OF OUR PHOTOS FROM GREEN SPRING GARDENS ON 7-21-22

 These are the last photos from our walk around the garden on July 21st.  We are at the top of the garden but did not follow the path all the way around the green.  We kept to the right and meandered back to the car.  

The garden was open and they had an extra volunteer.

Hulk put in an appearance and was getting ready to jump off the front of this garden vehicle.  He gets around but he looked a bit grumpy.  I think the heat was getting to him too.   This guy needs a gallon of water!  Yes, I am empathizing!

This pretty looks like a large thistle, called a Cardoon.  Other names are Artichoke thistle, Globe artichoke, Prickly artichoke and Cardy, with a botanical name of Cynara cardunculus.  Apparently its taste has an artichoke flavor, though slightly bitter.  It has always been one of my favorites to photograph, in every stage.

The Cardoon was first brought to the United States by Spanish and French settlers in the middle of the 19th century.

Sicily is one of the few places where the stalks of certain types of thistles are consumed, and their dish is called carduna, which you can see here.

It seemed to be very popular with the bees, and both Gregg and I had fun taking several photos.

Many nutritional facts about Cardoon can be found here.

Another flower in bloom was the Lance-leaved coreopsis.  You may know it as Lanceleaf coreopsis, Sand coreopsis, Lanceleaf tickseed, Garden coreopsis and Lance coreopsis.  The botanical name is Coreopsis lanceolata.

Native to eastern United States, it has spread around the world.  A perfect flower for new gardeners as it is low maintenance and produces a mass of flowers in the second year.  Since it has a weedy tendency, gardeners are advised to keep an eye on it to prevent it from becoming too overwhelming.

This interesting plant is called the Rattlesnake master!  I couldn't find out why it was called that, but other names are Button snake-root, Bear grass, Button eryngo and Bear's grass.  Botanical name Eryngium yuccifolium.

It is drought tolerant and erosion resistant.  Super easy to take care of.  The leaves of this coarse plant have been used by Native Americans to create both baskets and sandals.  Monarch butterflies love the nectar from its flower, giving them nutrients to complete their yearly migration south.

I will leave you with one last photo from the garden from where we started, looking at the Sacred Lotus.

It was a wonderful walk!  We have had several days of high heat and thunderstorms, so I haven't been out too much lately.  I look forward to sharing other favorite walking areas with you very soon.