Spiderwort and carolina rose

I've been busy doing other things, aside from gardening, but have been enjoying the lush green of spring, without the hot dryness that summer will bring.  My gardening companion and I had an opportunity to talk about wildflowers and gardening with native plants last week on Your Day (listen to the archived show), aired statewide on SCETV radio -- lots of fun! It's always great to encourage people to learn more about our Southeastern natives.

I'm still in the midst of harvesting the last of the cool-season greens and sowing warm season squash, amaranth, and cucumbers, and still am putting in peppers and tomatoes. It's been slow to warm up in the mountains, even with the stone raised beds.

Standouts in the pocket meadow right now are Penstemon digitalis and Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea) with lovely purple Verbascum and Verbena flowers echoing the color of the phlox nearby.

The recently planted Carolina Rose (Rosa carolina) is loaded with flowers, which are actively gleaned of their pollen by sweat bees.

In the bed below the house, a lovely spiderwort (Tradescantia) with lime-colored leaves has been visible from the studio door. 

Individual flowers are open only for a day, but are quickly replaced by fresh ones!