What's popping in your neck of the woods?

[Annie Roonie]

Don't forget the skunk cabbage!

I just looked that up. So you have the yellow ones. Hey, they may stink but at least they are adorable. I've not seen the brownish purple ones either, but they look like they should be smelly.

Are they invasive or something or just pungently annoying?

[Annie Roonie]

Oh thank you for that link! You've saved me a ton of time searching for a new photo-editor. My day has been made!

No probs. Someone linked to it on a google groups thread begging for a replacement for Picnik and saved me a ton of time. Wish they had batch operations but they are promising a collage maker and that could be cool.

[Owl]

I just looked that up. So you have the yellow ones. Hey, they may stink but at least they are adorable. I've not seen the brownish purple ones either, but they look like they should be smelly.

Are they invasive or something or just pungently annoying?

They aren't really invasive - and they need very wet conditions. We get them in areas that are wet now but will be dry by July. And the SO (ex air force survival instructor) says they are edible, but nothing can be done to make them taste good. Kinda last resort food. I told him I'd take his word on it!

All the fruit trees are in bloom too!

[FierFlye]

But there is that one that smells like semen. I do not know its name, but it's blooming right now near a golf course. This is when the funny fast walk comes in handy.

Ornamental pear.

[yewberry]

I do love the smell of the crabapple and nearly all the tree blooms. But there is that one that smells like semen. I do not know its name, but it's blooming right now near a golf course. This is when the funny fast walk comes in handy.

The laurels used in landscaping all over the place always smell vile to me. I feel the same way about most florist lilies (stargazers make me really want to hurl).

Brina

[yewberry]

And you have berries already?! Wow. The PNW has a unique climate. I don't think many people associate it with these vibrant colors. I did hop through there on a road trip and stayed in Astoria for a couple of days. Saw some exquisite oranges and greens.

I am going to have to look up those berries. Gotta love a berry. Nature's candy.

I imagine that a bus walk through changing nature has its exciting moments.

No berries yet, just blossoms. Salmonberries don't generally ripen until early June (and then only if the weather's warm enough), and the red huckleberries usually get going mid-June through July. Right now it's cold and very, very wet. I'm hoping this bodes well for our summer. Usually a dry, warm spring means a wet, cool summer (like we've had for the past two years). I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we can actually ripen a tomato outside at my house. If not, the greenhouse is at the ready.

Brina

[Annie Roonie]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we can actually ripen a tomato outside at my house. If not, the greenhouse is at the ready.

Brina

I am envious of the greenhouse and may have to slate a backyard project for one next year. This year is dedicated to fence repair, gopher relocation and growing a few things.


I have found hints of skunk about but not skunk cabbage. Though the type that is supposed to grow here is so strange in pictures, I would live to see it in person.

That being said, we do have some of the sweeter smelling flora that just started blooming.

The Honeysuckles.

White Honeysuckle.jpg

The White Honeysuckle with its rabbit ears is actually the least observable usually. The yellows are conspicuously few in number this year, but they have the strongest scent.

tartarian honeysuckle.jpg

The Tartarian Honeysuckle has a stronger and slightly different scent than the white and I call them drunk bunnies because they look like rabbit ears that have been soused in red wine.

A friend just gave me a Scentsy wax called Lonicera and it smells nothing like honeysuckle. Go figure.

They are said to be invasive in some places but they're in balance here.

Ooh, this is the first year I found Spring Cress in time to grab a shot of it.
springcress.jpg

I think they are elegant.

Most everything I find has medicinal uses and lore. It does make the experience richer to know how the plants can be used and how they are used differently in different arenas. I have the Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, and that is fun to read in the lore and handy with some details, but it is as if I must communicate with the plant a bit before I understand what magic it wants to be a part of if any and why.

[Annie Roonie]

.

The cinquefoil have finally begun to flower on the trail! I love those things. So buttery cute. I nicked a bit last year and wasn't sure if it'd take at all since after I planted it, it dried up pretty quick. But this week the little toothy edged five finger hands started waving howdy.

cinq.JPG

This is one I snapped on the trail where the heart shaped leaves of the flower steal the show. Happened to be listening to the New World Witchery podcast about herbs and the guy was talking about how he goes by the shape of the herb to gain insight into its uses. I cannot recall any specific love (heart shape) use but the astringent qualities are mentioned as being used with good effect in the Cherokee Herbal and my medicinal field guide. I guess soothing what ails you is a kind of love. I like the Cunningham's entry on it too. Lots of uses.

baby cinq.jpg

This one is of the babies that are starting to grow in my back yard. I felt very lucky when they popped up!

Everything in the garden here is growing very well. If anybody has some cool growing stuff they want to show off, I am a avid plant ogler and will likely be as excited as you are about it.