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Sunday, August 30, 2026

Flowers in the Front Garden

 At some point ( want to share our front garden, which probably needs rethinking.  Just this morning Mrs. F.G. said she'd like tp rip out the strip leading to our front door and do it all over again!  Though Mrs. F.G.'s Geraniums are a highlight this year.  /And we think we've found a wild orchid growing among the shrubs!

Last fall Mrs. F.G. planted some tiny Balsam plants, and they've flourished beyond measure, disguising the left hand side of the front porch entirely.

At the other end of the little strip of garden leading to the front door are three Milkweed planta, allowed to grow for the sake of the Monarchs.  And we have seen Monarch caterpillars here, though no new butterflies yet.

And just behind the Milkweeds is a pot of Geraniums.

The Geraniums really have done very well this year!  Growing them from seed was Mrs. F.G.'s experiment this year.

One pot of Geraniums is now backed by the very large leaves of a Calla Lily.
The 'island' in the front yard features a dwarf Blue Spruce, a bluish coloured grass, and some purple flowers.

Right beside that blue grass is the plant we think is a wild orchid.

I did my best, if it wasn't very good, to get a close-up.  The overall appearance is very similar to the Alaska Rein Orchid, though that seems far-fetched.  Any experts out there?

The other challenge we will face in a few years is our three trees, from the left a Redbud, a clump of three White Birch, and a Tulip tree.  As these grow I expect we will eventually have to sacrifice one of these.  Now, I'm going to try and turn to other topics, leave our garden behind for awhile and see what I can do for you.
















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7 comments:

  1. Woody MeristemAugust 30, 2026 at 3:07 PM

    Your orchid looks like helleborine, a European orchid that now grows wild in eastern North America. Many people consider it a weed, but it's a survivor whereas the populations of many of our native orchids are declining.

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  2. Mary KirklandAugust 30, 2026 at 4:08 PM

    Wild orchid? How nice. I love orchids. So many pretty flowers.

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  3. AnvilcloudAugust 30, 2026 at 6:43 PM

    I think it’s been a good year for most flowers. h
    Have fun planning the garden

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  4. Lowcarb team memberAugust 30, 2026 at 6:54 PM

    Lovely Geraniums... the geraniums here have done well this year.

    All the best Jan

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  5. Anna HayAugust 31, 2026 at 12:42 AM

    Oh I hope you don't have to sacrifice any of those trees. Each is beautiful.

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  6. RosaleaAugust 31, 2026 at 5:44 AM

    Look up Broadleaf Helleborine. It is an introduced species from Europe and Asia, and is considered a pest. I discovered it growing along trails wherever there was enough sun, and it even grows in the gravel edges of the road.
    Those geraniums are spectacular!

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  7. MaebemeAugust 31, 2026 at 11:22 AM

    I chuckled at the Mrs. F.G. wanting to remove everything in one flower bed and start over. I totally get that - I've been slowly removing plants from the perennial bed and replacing them with others. I ought to have just torn the entire thing out.
    Two, I'm impressed with her gardening abilities. I've never realized one could start geraniums from seed. My daughter has overwintered a geranium for several years, but the starters I planted this year were disappointing.

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