Flower for the Day Celosia 9-27-18

We have had celosia (Celosia christata) or cockscomb for so many years that it re-seeds itself and I no longer have to collect the seeds in the fall. The only thing I have to do is regular thinning or it grows so thick that plants behind it are stunted from lack of sun.

The bees love it.

I love the depth of it color.

Flower for the Day Trumpet Vine Seed Pods 9-26-18

The trumpet vine has continued to bloom all summer and into the fall.

What is interesting, for the first time in more than thirty years we have huge seed pods everywhere.

Why now?

Don's Blog A Walk on a Trail 9-25-18

One of the great advantages of Rocky Mountain National Park is its trail system. Through the 

years the parking has been challenging. As the number of visitors increases it is clear that some 

form of rationing will occur even in my lifetime. The current Superintendent has indicated it is on the horizon.

Even with large numbers of folks visiting, the opportunity for solitude is still one of the biggest draws.

It doesn't take long hiking on most ascending trails for the crowds to thin and there is some form of silence.

Being on the trail is one way to achieve a silence. The physical activity of the hike adds the possibility

of quieting or even disappearing our normal head noise. That and the surrounding beauty allows us to 

settle in to a possible zone of peace.

Walking a trail can conjure up old memories or nothing.

Life's urgency can disappear. A sense of some primeval pre-history can occur unsaid.

Sometimes there is a stream or a waterfall. Its sounds do not seem to shatter the silence.

Later with the sun at our backs we return.

It has not been an escape from life - life is always with us - or a journey to significance -

all our journeys are significant. Its just an opportunity to be on the trail - a chance to be.

Flower for the Day Still coming in.... 9-25-18

Sorry but my computer spell checker doesn't read Latin and automatically changes it to something it believes is better.

There are still a few interesting flowers coming in. This is common verbena (Vervain) which is

growing tin the southern part of the gnome garden.

And this is ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata) from the wildflower garden. It always re-seeds in the same spot.

Don's Blog Settlin' In

After a long day of munching grass (and wildflowers) in the meadow (about 20 yards from our house)

our new family takes a needed rest.

Flower for the Day Joe Pye Weed 9-12-18

Joe PyeWeed (Eutrochium purpureum) is in the aster family. It grows to over 7 feet in the wildflower garden.

These are pink tinged. Usually they are purple or darker pink.

Butterflies have been nosing around. Eu and troche are Greek for wheel-like in reference to  its whorled leaves.

Joe Pye was a naturalist.

Flower for the Day Globe amaranth 9-11-18

The gardens are winding down. But this time of the year has its own specific flowers. We are 

awash in asters. My favorite fall flower is globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa "purple"). 

Who couldn't love little purple balls that bloom for months. They are regularly propagated by saving the dried bracts and planting them next year.

Don's Blog White Tails take over my meadow 9-11-18

They love the grass in the middle of the day.

They love the flowers in the wildflower garden.

At night they come to the front yard. Last night they leveled my hosta.

Flower for the Day Rose of Sharon 8-8-18

Outside our living room window is this Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus). Mine has three different color (pink/red &blue) blooms apparently coming from three different sources. It is a bush/shrub with roots that are intertwined. It is in the mallow family.

It has been blooming since July and will continue to bloom until late fall. Each year I trim it to chest high and each year it returns higher than ever.