In bloom are new england aster, aster laevis, aster lateriflorus, aster puniceus, aster tartaricus, aster oblongifolious, sedums, boltonias, butterfly bushes, goldenrods, sages, helianthus, eupatoriums, monkey flower, turtlehead, agastache, penstemon, cardinal flower, and clematis virginiana aka sweet autumn clematis. Heck, some of these are only just barely starting to flower. Bring on the 40s next week.
Welcome. Tickets please. Don't have any? My giant preying mantis and grasshopper bouncers will show you the way out.
If had more than one turtlehead I wouldn't like this nearly as much.
Eupatoriums: 'Baby Joe' and 'Prairie Jewel.'
Helianthus 'Lemon Queen', eupatoriums, clematis virginiana.
E. 'Wayside'
Look back toward the house.
Boltonia 'Snowbank' begs to be cut back next June. Yikes. Roots aren't even big enough yet to hold it straight up.
Happened to walk by just as it was deskinning.
Push yourself up into the silk. (Unfortunately, a few days later tachnid fly larvae emerged.)
I couldn't open my tool chest for over a week until this guy emerged. Notice the proboscus.
Yeah, sure, he blends in perfectly....
Can a live grasshopper have sex with a dead one? Sorta looks like it.
And finally, we have viceroy eggs on the dwarf arctic blue willow shrub. Easy to spot--placed on the very tip. The young instars will overwinter in silk tubes made around willow stems. I think we may now have more viceroys than monarchs flying about.
