Cheers to the asters, feeding pollinators (and my soul). One last gasp of beauty and life before we go into the long dark winter
There was a time that I didn't really get asters. Then fall came around and I came to my senses. Now I can't get enough.
I know they can be aggressive, but I've got the space for them so I say "bring it on!"
Went to Bowman's Hill wildflower preserve (New Hope, PA) yesterday and it really might be one of my favorite places on the planet.
It's worth a visit for the plant nursery alone, but then you and the native plant idea garden, and the trails through the woods. It's just perfect.
I've got an acre and a half of pretty heavily wooded land. Most of my gardening to this point has focused on my limited sunny-ish areas but I'm ready to start working on a shade garden. It will be on the back edge of the lawn in that picture, where there is a slight opening in the woods.
Ok. This is going to get sad. Long story short, this is going to be a memorial garden for my dad. We're going to work his ashes into the soil around a baby white oak tree that is growing back there. I'll bury his dog's ashes nearby with a baby dogwood that I'm going to transplant from somewhere else in my yard. He always loved his dogs and I think he'd like to have her nearby. I'll protect the baby trees from deer and other predation, and probably put up a deer fence around the area. I want to create a garden around the trees. Something to take care of and nurture the way he took care of me.
There's a wild patch of fringed bleeding heart nearby, which is endangered in PA and, while a little on the nose, seems perfect. Our area has heavy clay soil but thanks to the woods and leaves, there's a nice thick loamy layer. There's a gentle slope, and I would characterize the moisture as medium.
So, give me your deepest shade loving plants. I don't care if they're spreaders. I've got room.
I'm building up a list. So far I have:
Found a couple of these my back woods and every plant ID app gives me three different answers. One of them is paw paw. Did I get very lucky?
(SE Pennsylvania)