Friday, July 23, 2010

Plant Snob

I have realized that I was a plant snob. I only wanted nursery purchased plants or ones that I dug up myself. This year I decided to change that, partly because of the flood last year. I had no idea what the water may have left in my yard.I decided to leave the wild phlox in my 'wild' garden and to let things grow until I could see what they were. I let this tall weed grow and guess what I found!

According to my wildflower book this is a yellow goat's-beard (Tragopogon pratensis). It is an Alien (Foreign, but successfully established in our area by man, or as an escape). It grows 1 to 3 feet and the bloom closes at midday. The flower goes to seed like a dandelion and I let them go. I'm determined to quit being a plant snob and enjoy discovering new, interesting blooms!

10 comments:

Darla said...

Plant snob, that's funny. What a pretty bloom on this one.

Becca's Dirt said...

Pretty bloom. You are funny. I am one who always wants the best but I can't always have the best so I settle for less. I have the notion with plants that buying a better plant from a better plant place should yield a much more quality flower. But that isn't always the case. Oh well less is better than nothing - huh. Hope you have a great weekend.

Karen said...

You caught my attention with 'plant snob'---I have been guilty of that many times in my garden, too! I think the yellow goatsbeard is lovely too and the seed heads are spectacular when dry (my mom sprayed them with gold paint and they made a lovely dried flower).

Karen

Diana LaMarre said...

That is a pretty addition to your wild garden. I did not know it was called goatsbeard. I will have to watch and see if I have any in my wild areas.

Alea Milham said...

I have always loved wild or "rogue flowers" as we call them. My son has even mowed around a patch poppies that show up in our grass each year.

Heidi Pocketbook said...

Very pretty bloom--such a nice shade of yellow!

CosmoGirl Carla said...

What a cool looking flower! I'm a plant snob for sure, only because I let a rogue flower go one year many years ago not realizing it was wild violet, and it just about took over my gardens. I'm a little more strict now with what "pops" up in my garden. Good to do research on those garden visitors for sure!

Thanks for sharing.

meemsnyc said...

That's a pretty yellow flower.

Linda @ Linda's Lunacy said...

That's a pretty little flower, and a wonderful discovery!

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Yes, it is pretty. I think I've had some of that before.