I found a good article here at Audubon on why native plants are better for birds and people. You may be interested in reading it and if so, the link is here.
This is the Swamp Rose. No other names that I could find but its botanical name is Rosa palustris. It is native to much of eastern North America and blooms in the summer and prefers full sun. It is a hardy one as it can withstand temperatures down to -30 degrees Fahrenheit. The Swamp Rose can grow up to seven feet tall and just as wide. It attracts both birds and butterflies.
Those in the above and below photo took me by surprise. It is the Purple coneflower, and I have never seen it, or more than likely, noticed it in this stage before. It is also called Eastern purple coneflower and Hedgehog coneflower, while its botanical name is Echinacea purpurea. It is an herb native of North America that flourishes in meadows, prairies and open wooded areas, and attracts pollinators. Its seeds entice many birds, particularly the American goldfinch, blue jays, mourning doves, chickadees, cardinals and others. In particular, the purple color of this coneflower attracts the ruby-throated hummingbird. Its genus name, Echinacea, means "spiny" because its flowers are especially like a prickly sea urchin, which also has the same genus name. Some people think its flowers resemble petals around pinecones, and so this is why this genus is called the coneflower. Since this particular one has purple petals around the cones, it is called the purple coneflower.
Another one that took me by surprise as I have only ever seen it with its blooms, or once again more likely not noticed it without them, is the Crimsoneyed rose-mallow, a species of Hibiscus in the Mallow family. Also known as Swamp rose mallow, Rose-mallow and Eastern rose-mallow, and its botanical name is Hibiscus moscheutos. They require planting in rich soil in full sun 3 feet apart. A sturdy perennial but it will stop blooming if the soil gets too dry. It prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade, though they may become very 'leggy'. The petals range from pure white to a rosy color with most having deep maroon stamens. It is often grown in wetlands and rivers, and then called swamp rose mallow. One last interesting fact is that the Crimson-eyed rose-mallow are pure white or pink in the morning, but as time passes, it becomes bright red at noon. It can change color in just half a day.
These pretty pink flowers are Ivy-leaved cyclamen, also known as Hardy cyclamen, Sowbread and Baby cyclamen. Its botanical name is Cyclamen hederifolium. Native to the Mediterranean region from France to Turkey, and it is a perennial that blooms in summer and autumn. Many famous artists have loved cyclamens. Leonardo Da Vinci loved this cyclamen species and covered the margins of his notebooks with them. In addition, King Louis XIV included them on the grounds of the famous Versailles.
These white blooms are actually from the Seven sons tree. It is also known as Seven son flower, Seven-son flower tree, and its botanical name is Heptacodium miconioides. They are native and endemic to China and related to the honeysuckle. First discovered growing on high cliffs in China in the early 20th century, they are now cultivated as an ornamental tree around the world.
The next photo shows Colius in each frame of the collage. Also known as Common coleus, Painted nettle, Coleus blumei, Trailing coleus and Solenostemon scutellaroides. Its botanical name is Coleus scutellaroides. A perennial, it will grow in full sun to medium shade, but the colors are most vivid in full sun. Coleus is native to Southeast Asia but now growing as annuals in many parts of the world.
My last two photos are taken of the flower beds just before we left the garden.
The dark plant with the big leaves on the left in the picture above is Taro, which is native to Southeast Asia and India. You can also see the colius plants, and a mixture of other flowers. Tarro has many names, Elephant ear(s), Green taro, Coco yam, Dasheen, Kalo, Yam, Edo, Mandhumbe, Marope, Magogoya, Patra, Arbi, Godere, Caladium, Malanga and Chinese Ocumo. Botanical name is Colocasia esculenta.
It says the Taro root is edible, though personally I wouldn't eat anything unless it is bought through a regular food source, or from people who know what they are growing and are knowledgeable enough to know they aren't eating anything toxic. However, I read it tastes very much like a sweet potato and is actually healthier than a regular potato, including twice the amount of fiber in a comparable serving size. It is considered one of the most ancient crops in history.
And on that note, I am going to end my post. I have a few photos left from the garden and will share them eventually. For the most part, these are the more interesting ones.
