23-MAY-2013
Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum)
A gorgeous plant, native to southern Ontario, whose long plume-like seedheads give rise to the other common name of old man's whiskers. It is sometimes listed under Erythrocoma triflora.
23-MAY-2013
Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum)
Another view of the plant, without the seedheads.
23-MAY-2013
Water avens (Geum rivale)
This native species is considered quite rare in the Ottawa area, with only a few known locations in the region. The water avens looks very similar to prairie smoke at this stage.
23-MAY-2013
Mayapple flower (Podophyllum peltatum)
these creamy blossoms hang down underneath the very large leaves of the mayapple plant, a native species, though not to the Ottawa area, but a little further south, down near Kingston.
23-MAY-2013
Yellow lady's-slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum)
One of several clusters of these pretty native orchids, planted in the BYG and doing well.
23-MAY-2013
Woodland walk
The woodland walk always looks its absolute best in spring, as shown here. So many native woodland plants in flower, ferns unfurling... it is lovely.
23-MAY-2013
The Backyard Garden May 2013
Looking from the end of the garden toward the Interpretive Centre.
23-MAY-2013
Backyard Garden and Interpretive Centre
A collection of ostrich ferns against the back wall of the Interpretive Centre.
23-MAY-2013
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
I was last at FWG a week ago, when the comfrey plants were a few inches tall. A week later, with all the rain, some sun and warmth, they've taken off. These non-native plants can spread quickly, once they become established, but they also provide nectar for many insects, especially early emerging ones, and even for monarch butterflies (
http://www.pbase.com/fwg/image/138387873) when the flowers last into summer.
23-MAY-2013
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
The pretty, bell-like flowers of the comfrey plant.
23-MAY-2013
Bladdernut shrub (Staphylea trifolia)
Bladdernuts are native to Ontario, but quite scarce in the wild around Ottawa. This one, in the Backyard Garden, was planted, and is doing very, very well. The common name derives from the shape of the fruit capsules, which are quite attractive in their own right, and unique. See next image.
16-MAY-2013
Andrenid bee (Andrena sp.) on dandelion
You can see the heavy pollen load on this bee as it crawls across the dandelion. It went from one to the other, and it is evident that at this time of year, dandelions are important for bees, and many other insects. Other photos in this blog show a lady beetle and a nomada bee on dandelions.