What do you see on your garden walks?

[James McGee]

"What rabbit species do you have coming to your garden, James?"

Cottontail Rabbits - Sylvilagus floridanus

"Must be very small ones to get through chain link fences, unless maybe the styles of mesh are much bigger there than what is used here? ... Here, the rabbits one sees most often in the city are whitetail jackrabbits - big, long-legged, long-eared critters of the open plains that are not much tied to cover.  (I suppose people who live on the edges of the ravines may have the smaller, cuter snowshoe hares coming into their yards, but I don't know if that is so.)"

Actually, neither jackrabbits nor snowshoe hares are rabbits.

Sincerely,

James

[Lori S.]

Yeah, right, they're hares.

[Tim Ingram]

The plant of Arabis androsacea I have looks closer to Lori's than Panayoti's, though I have yet to see it in flower. I am not sure we are too successful with western American alpines here, and there is certainly not a strong tradition of growing such plants in the garden; most growers in the AGS concentrate more on exhibiting plants, and in a curious way I think that this can tend to restrict the range of plants grown. My dream would probably be the old alpine house at Wisley from the 1980's which was beautifully planted with dryland alpines by Ralph Haywood (who used to work with Joe Elliott at his famous Broadwell nursery). How much has alpine gardening taken off around Denver? There seems to be a much better link between Botanic Gardens and horticulture in the States than in the UK - ie: the sense of partnership in growing and learning about plants.

[RickR]

Here, Gleditsia triacanthos 'Sunburst' (Sunburst honelocust) is only all yellow in the spring, and with fall color.  As leaves mature in summer, they turn green, while new leaves are still yellow. 

Tim, what is that pine with the long weeping needles in your second to last pic, (and also the pine behind it).  Is it a P. wallichiana?

I am also befuddled by James's chain link fence comment.  We have cottontails here, and they are kept out by what we call chain link.

[Lori S.]

The absolute cutest rabbits I've ever seen were the "Texas fightin' bunnies" (or so we referred to them) that we saw in spring in Rio Grande Village campground in Big Bend N.P. years ago; I suppose it was mating or play or territorial behavior, as a pair of tiny bunnies (relative to the jackrabbits I'm used to, anyway) would rear up and box each other for a bit... and then, just as suddenly, lose interest and start munching on something instead!  Hardly fights to the death (thank heavens)!     From range maps, it would seem they were either desert (Sylvilagus audubonii) or eastern cottontails.... danged charming to watch, whatever they were up to!

Fall colour on Arabis procurrens 'Variegata':


Autumn crocus, looks like I'm down to one this year:

[RickR]

The veining on those crocus are quite striking, and they seem to have a glow in the centers, too!

[James McGee]

"I suppose it was mating or play or territorial behavior, as a pair of tiny bunnies (relative to the jackrabbits I'm used to, anyway) would rear up and box each other for a bit..."

I have seen such displays in Illinois.  It is a rare year that we get such a treat.  The rabbit population fluctuates wildly.  When the population of rabbits is high they often behave in this manner.  They will be sitting in a group.  One rabbit will will charge another rabbit.  The rabbit on the receiving end will often jump into the air so the charging rabbit ends up running underneath it.  It is fun to watch these bunny games.

The cottontail rabbits in my area are an edge species.  This is the reason they love backyards so much.  In large open grasslands cottontail rabbits are almost never seen.  If you do see a rabbit it is almost invariably near a brush pile or some other form of cover.  In wild areas they tend to stay near the woodland edge where thickets give them cover and a winter food source.

It is interesting to me that certain species are so selective about habitat type.  For example, grassland birds will not use an area unless it is 100's and sometimes 1000's of treeless acres.  The structure of vegetation is very important for certain species.  It is a rare prairie that is over 20 acres.  You can see how this posses a big problem for grassland birds.  Luckily, structure is more important to birds than quality vegetation.  They have been able to hang on in hayfields and rotationally grazed pastures.  Given the rarity of areas large enough to support grassland birds, much effort go toward creating the large treeless areas they require.


Sincerely,

James   

[Tim Ingram]

Rick - both pines were grown from seed. The first one is the Mexican Pinus patula (a poor specimen that I had left over from the nursery with a very twisted stem, but it has made a nice plant). The lower one is P. ponderosa which is growing at quite an alarming rate! I don't grow wallichiana but it is a beautiful specimen in a friend's garden - one of the best pines I think.

[RickR]

Yes, had I thought of it, patula would have been my first guess.  Also had wondered if the second one might be P. pondersosa.  Mine grows 1.5-2ft (46-60cm) per year.

[Fermi]

Just found a picture of Arabis androsacea, Tim!

Well, Panayoti and Lori, I'll be looking out for that one on the Seedex list when it arrives!
This spuria iris arrived as a volunteer seedling in a bed of summer dormant bulbs - how it got there I don't know, though it does grow in our neighbour's frontyard, about 200 yds away! It appears to be Iris orientalis


This white siberian iris has done well,


While a mauve-blue one is less floriferous this year, though the Sprekelia formosissima next to it has been brilliant!


In the "bog garden" a couple of Louisiana iris have opened,
possibly "John's Lucifer'


possibly "Koorawatha"


cheers
fermi

[Spiegel]

October 30th in the garden.

[Spiegel]

Thanks to some of the leaves still on the trees, the damage was extensive.  Magnolia soulangeana, not a relaible bloomer every yeare due to frequent late frosts, but very beautiful when it did bloom.

[Tim Ingram]

Anne - really sad to see such damage to the magnolia. It is the most extraordinary tree in flower. I remember a large tree in Canterbury near us which was savagely pruned one year with no thought for its shape. Now though after some years it has grown out and made quite a shapely specimen again. (Not that such pruning is to be recommended!!). I hope we are not in for another severe (relatively) winter here, as I am still clearing up after the last one.

[Toole]

One of the 'Death Camas' .....Zigadenus fremontii currently is at it's peak.

Cheers Dave.

[James McGee]

These will probably be my last views of 'Fall' in my garden. 

I love the color in my Fothergilla major 'blue shadow.'

The Spireas have nice color from Spring to Fall.  The ones that were abused at the home improvement store have the deepest color.  This is the opposite of what I would expect.

The 'Front Path Garden' has Coreopsis auriculata, Geranium sanguineum, and Armeria maritima.  The Geranium sanguineum is particularly beautiful because some of the leaves are red while others are green.  This gives the plant a Christmas look.

I included the Alberta Spruce surrounded by Snapdragons because I like the echo of shape between the pavers and the Spruce.  I cannot take credit for this design.  It was here when I purchased my home.  I only planted the Snapdragons.

The Red Maples are one of my favorite trees for Fall color.

The last picture is of Pineapple Sage.  I planted this for my hummingbirds.  It did not begin blooming until after all the hummingbirds had migrated South.  Since it did not accomplish its purpose, I will not be planting Pineapple Sage in the future.

James