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"An Unexpected Guest"
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"An Unexpected Guest"

Fresh bud of a Common Cornflower ("Bachelor's button" -- Centaurea cyanus), with the unexpected bonus appearance of a single aphid. I've seen true gardeners panic at the mere mention of the name -- but roadside cornflower is so obnoxiously hardy it's unlikely this little guy will make much of an impression on the plant.

DSC_0686

  • "An Unexpected Guest"
  • Bush Honeysuckle (genus Diervilla, variety unknown).<br /> <br /> Lovely flowering hedge, very little scent, beautiful white to off-white flowers during springtime. In town and well-maintained, these are a regional heirloom-variety hedge plant and provide great bird cover. Out of town, or otherwise left uncontrolled, they'll spread like crazy and are a horrible nuisance to get rid of -- so you'll find them term "invasive" used liberally.<br /> <br /> More info here: <a href="http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/pdf/loni1.pdf">http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/pdf/loni1.pdf</a><br /> <br /> DSC_0716
  • Full view - Sempervivum (commonly known as "Hen and Chicks") comes in a number of different varieties. They ordinarily propagate through larger, more mature plants producing clusters of offshoots - hence the name "Hen and Chicks."<br /> <br /> The plants can last for several years without blooming. Age, mileage, or stressful conditions will eventually provoke a mature plant to produce a flower stalk. The stalk can vary from a short stub to as much as a foot, terminating in a cluster of small pink to white intricate blossoms.<br /> <br /> Once they bloom and set seed, the plant dies. You'll never see the same one twice.
  • Here's an uncommon sight. Sempervivum (commonly known as "Hen and Chicks") comes in a number of different varieties. They ordinarily propagate through larger, more mature plants producing clusters of offshoots - hence the name "Hen and Chicks."<br /> <br /> The plants can last for several years without blooming. Age, mileage, or stressful conditions will eventually provoke a mature plant to produce a flower stalk. The stalk can vary from a short stub to as much as a foot, terminating in a cluster of small pink to white intricate blossoms.<br /> <br /> Once they bloom and set seed, the plant dies. You'll never see the same one twice.
  • Detail view - Sempervivum (commonly known as "Hen and Chicks") comes in a number of different varieties. They ordinarily propagate through larger, more mature plants producing clusters of offshoots - hence the name "Hen and Chicks."<br /> <br /> The plants can last for several years without blooming. Age, mileage, or stressful conditions will eventually provoke a mature plant to produce a flower stalk. The stalk can vary from a short stub to as much as a foot, terminating in a cluster of small pink to white intricate blossoms.<br /> <br /> Once they bloom and set seed, the plant dies. You'll never see the same one twice.
  • Early summer visitor at the feeding station - male purple finch in full parade dress.<br /> <br /> DSC_0150
  • There's "red" and then there's "scarlet"... This amaryllis put mere red to shame.
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