Design

One of the benefits (totally) of being in the Southern Appalachians for the summer is proximity to great trails.  I joke to friends and colleagues during the academic year that "they don't let me out much" meaning that I'm at the Garden all the time, not out hiking.  But nothing to complain about that really. Squaw root ( Conopholis spp.) But it was a joy to spend time on the Mountains to the Sea trail this morning, on a segment just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Silene virginica on a rock outcrop a checker spot (?) basking on a Crateagus branch There were lots of plants in flower, even though we're past the 'main' spring wildflower time. Bowman's Root ( Poteranthus ), Fire Pink ( Silene virginica) , and Mountain Laurel ( Kalmia latifolia ) as well as Flame Azalea were in flower. Kalmia latifoli a (Mountain Laurel) in flower Sedums, Tradenscantia , and Opuntia were on the rock outcrops, segregating themselves to wet and dry areas.

Time away and then an earlier-than-expected family visit have rearranged my routine over the last few days. But it was a good time, and the raised bed gardens are growing vigorously without my attention. I'm hopeful of LOTS of tomatoes;  there are many large green fruits, so I'm anticipating a good harvest this summer, but you never know. Beets and swiss chard continue to be stand-outs and the squash is flowering and the beans are growing rapidly.  I'm looking forward to fall beets;  the young spring beets and their greens have been so delicious, I can't believe that I haven't figured out how to grow them successfully before. (Basically, it's deep fluffy soil in the raised beds and plenty of water and nutrients...not the usual 'tough love' gardening approach that is my usual mode.) Thankfully, afternoon and evening thunderstorms have brought ample rain, so with added water for seedlings and greens, it has been a good spring (now summer). We're lookin...

A wonderful aspect of being in the NC mountains is the proximity to the Southern Appalachians. They're an ancient mountain range, noted for biodiversity of many species. A special aspect is the Blue Ridge Parkway, part of our National Park System, a long road that stretches from Shenondoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. An early morning walk had us ascending from Asheville (where the afternoon high would be close to ninety) to a foggy Craggy Gardens, well-known for the June Catawba rhododendron display. Surprisingly, it was cool and foggy. Amazing. The temperature was close to 60° F. This small bumblebee was still sleeping in a Catawba rhododenron flower. Check out the poricidal anthers characteristic of plants in the Ericaceae (the Heath or Blueberry family) -- just click on the photo for a closer look.

Our mountains in the Southeastern U.S. are normally hazy in the summer, part natural humidity with some additions (ozone and particulates) not so natural. But in the winter, after a front comes through, the mountains are crystal clear, and the evening light is excellent, sharp and cool. I don't have any images, having not brought a camera along on our late afternoon excursion. But walking back across the overpass above Highway 240 towards Montford, we experienced the expanse of Mt. Pisgah and the Blue Ridge Mountains.