Wednesday, February 22, 2012

My Dear Meadowfoam

Spring brings many happy things: longer days, warmer weather, and, in my case, the reemergence of forgotten or presumed lost garden friends.

Last spring I visited an annual native plant sale at the Audubon Society and bought a little flower called "Douglas' Meadowfoam" (Limnanthes douglasii), known also by the less desirable name "Poached Egg". 
Sweet summer flowers
I enjoyed this sweet, yellow-flowered herb in the summer until it lost its flowers and the foliage started to wilt.  I thought I had killed it.  Luckily for me, it turns out Douglas' Meadowfoam is an annual, and a self-seeding one at that.  Last week I noticed new growth in the pot that formerly contained my little yellow friend.  Sure enough, after a quick image search for Douglas' Meadowfoam's winter appearance, I established my meadowfoam hadn't been lost.  Where once there was one plant, I now had over a dozen!

Today, I took advantage of a sunny window in an overcast day to transplant the bitty seedlings to their new home along the top of our urbanite wall (more on that later). 
Welcome home, little ones.

Here, they're nestled between coastal strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis) and western bleeding heart (Dicentra formosa).  My hope is that they'll continue to spread by reseeding and fill in this space nicely over the years.


As I was nestling the babes into their new home, a woman walking by asked me what I was planting and if she could have one for her garden.  It's amazing how interactive a home garden can be!  Being out in the garden has allowed me to meet more of my neighbors and become more a part of my community.  Gardens are great things, aren't they?

4 comments:

  1. nice work! that is a sweet little plant. it gives me hope that a few of the babies i put in last year will come back, too.

    xo
    kittee

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  2. I love the native plants movement and want to get some going when I move to my new place. Is there a general resource that you have used for learning native and local plants and gardening tips, or do you rely on local garden stores and resources? I'm going to be moving to a new state/new climate and I don't know a thing about it so I'll have to learn!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Sarah! Good for you! Native plants are the best- they're so low-maintenance.

      There are native plant societies, nurseries that specialize in natives, extension offices, and governmental resources to help you on your search. I would recommend a good old fashioned internet search of "native plants __your state here__". Good luck!

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  3. I think that is one of the most cheerful flowers I have ever seen!

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