Clematis

Beautiful pictures today. Nicole, yesterday I was standing next to the back porch, coming in from getting the mail and a dragonfly landed on the edge of my little stack of mail!! He/she stayed for a few moments before taking off again. I don't remember seeing a dragonfly here before. Very exciting!

From the butterfly show back in May:

We are overrun with Goldfinches. This a tall variety of Nepeta that they love, plus the seeds of the Coneflowers and Rudbeckias will soon be ready for them to devour.

Doesn't hurt that there is always a feeder full of thistle for them too.

Gorgeous, Gazania! I've seen them streaking around my yard lately. I have some thistle in a feeder from months ago that goes untouched. I probably should empty it out and put what's left in the bag.

I am wondering if anyone can tell me what this plant is. It's growing in the back of my yard, about 5' tall. At first I thought it might be Joe Pye Weed, but it's purple, so maybe it isn't. Any thoughts? Thanks.

I think it is commonly called iron weed. Vernonia?

I agree, Iron weed. Grows wild, but also nice to have in your yard for height and late summer color. Bees and butterflies like it.

And thank you murrysmom for the compliment. The yella' fellas', as we call them, are a bright spot to have around.

They are indeed!! And I do believe you and Betty are right on about my new addition to the compost heap!! I looked it up on Yahoo and Iron weed looks like just the ticket!! I'm thinking it's been there before but I pulled it up before it flowered. I quite like it and I hope it comes back again next year. Thank you both for your help!!!~

A story about an iron weed plant. DD and I had been watching one in bloom in a road right of way. One day she phoned me that the city mowers were approaching it. Jumped in my car and drove about 5 miles just in time to plant myself in front of the approaching tractor. The driver stopped and allowed me to dig it up with a tiny shovel that I had in my car. It lived and grew quite tall for about 3 years and then disappeared. To my surprise I have 2 volunteers this spring a couple of years since the original one went to plant heaven.

LOL, I love that story, Betty!! I can picture you saving the day and the iron weed!!! I'm sure mine must be volunteers. There is a lot of bird action back by the garage where the plants are growing. I've had some kind of melon vine one year. It got blossoms but no fruit so I never knew what it was. I got a beautiful yellow snapdragon once too. And the most spectacular thing I've never planted was a Datura plant! I even had to get help identifying that one too.

Is that picture of Vernonia current? "late summer"?! I am used to seeing it around Halloween/Thanksgiving

Mine? Yes I took it the day I posted. Most flowering plants are done by September, October around here. By Halloween we are raking leaves.

Mine is about 4 feet tall and has been blooming for about 3 weeks. There is a shorter variety that I see in bloom on my property later in the fall. That one has fewer flowers.