Skip to main content

Featured

The Plants Bees Love

In this day and time, I would hope gardeners understand the importance of bees and other insects in the garden. However, from time to time, a person comes into the nursery and asks for plants that will NOT attract bees (sigh). They are not really gardeners though, they are just looking for a plant to fill a space. I find myself more and more intrigued by bees although I don't know that much about the different types. I do make note of plants that they like and try to add as many as I can to the garden. Over the past weeks, with watering a daily activity amidst a lingering heat-wave, I've conducted an informal survey and noted the plants that they seem to like the most. Butterfly Weed ( Asclepias tuberosa ) Butterfly Weed ( Asclepias tuberosa ) is one of my favorite perennials and the bees love it too. I don't think I've ever seen a butterfly on it but we don't seem to have many of those. Everybody wants the "Showy Milkweed" (Asclepias speciosa) but I knew

Hardy Orange

The Hardy Orange (Poncirus trifoliate) is loaded with fruit this year!


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. We have been harvesting Meyer Lemons now for about a month, and we do have a Washington Orange Tree (in a pot) but the fruit may not ripen as our nights are now down in the 40's.
    PS: best of luck on the sale of your home.

    ReplyDelete
  2. How cool! I can't imagine being able to pick oranges from my own yard. But the apple trees are doing well this year; I'm hoping last night's winds brought more of them down so I don't have to get out a ladder to pick them:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nice! I should give those a try here at some point; they might just be hardy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. And, it's beautiful!~~Dee

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow! Looks awesome.

    Do you use them for anything edible (I've heard that Poncirus oranges are 'technically' edible but hella seedy and sour) or just for ornamental value?

    ReplyDelete
  6. I keep having to prune mine. The weight of the fruit makes the branches bend down towards the sidewalk, where its thorns threaten to blind someone.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts