Escaped and/or exiled flowers

[SPedigrees]

Some years ago I bought 3 varieties of asters for my perennial beds. Two were purple and they seemed to thrive, whereas the pink one deteriorated to the point I gave up on it and removed it. However, on a whim, rather than just toss the uprooted plant into a weedy patch, I turned over a patch of weedy soil and stuck the half-dead aster in it. Unexpectedly this given-up-for-dead aster took root and thrived. Every year at this time I am always sort of surprised to be greeted with this splash of color amidst its wild cousins. Apparently it sought the wild life, and found its place with the goldenrod and milkweed. These photos from a walk with my dog, Mabel, yesterday.

Oddly enough, the purple asters that stayed in the beds died out a few years later.

I also have a few stalks of phlox which jumped out of one of these same perennial beds, and took root in a nearby weed patch. Apparently the call of the wild spoke to some of my cultivated plants!

 

[Shades-of-Oregon]

Some years ago I bought 3 varieties of asters for my perennial beds. Two were purple and they seemed to thrive, whereas the pink one deteriorated to the point I gave up on it and removed it. However, on a whim, rather than just toss the uprooted plant into a weedy patch, I turned over a patch of weedy soil and stuck the half-dead aster in it. Unexpectedly this given-up-for-dead aster took root and thrived. Every year at this time I am always sort of surprised to be greeted with this splash of color amidst its wild cousins. Apparently it sought the wild life, and found its place with the goldenrod and milkweed. These photos from a walk with my dog, Mabel, yesterday.

View attachment 78016


View attachment 78017

Oddly enough, the purple asters that stayed in the beds died out a few years later.

I also have a few stalks of phlox which jumped out of one of these same perennial beds, and took root in a nearby weed patch. Apparently the call of the wild spoke to some of my cultivated plants!

Lovely wild flower section and nice color from fall asters and the other wild blooming plants.
But… Who is the beautiful puppy dog? What breed, sooo looks familiar even from behind. Can we see the front too?

 

[flowerbug]

we were out driving last weekend and along the highway were some very sparse asters growing on some of the sand slopes (very little else growing there other than some mosses, ferns and lichens), they likely were adapted and happy in those spots along the highway but a regular garden plant would not survive such an arid and nutrient poor spot. the lack of nutrients and moisture also meant that if more of those were added the plants would be overtaken by other plants.

 

[SPedigrees]

Lovely wild flower section and nice color from fall asters and the other wild blooming plants.
But… Who is the beautiful puppy dog? What breed, sooo looks familiar even from behind. Can we see the front too?

Thanks. This is my sheltie, Mabel, from the front. I have very few good pictures of her, and I should try to take more while she's still with me, as she is 14 already. She's pretty, but not very photogenic.

Am I remembering correctly that you too have shelties, or maybe collies?

 

[SPedigrees]

we were out driving last weekend and along the highway were some very sparse asters growing on some of the sand slopes (very little else growing there other than some mosses, ferns and lichens), they likely were adapted and happy in those spots along the highway but a regular garden plant would not survive such an arid and nutrient poor spot. the lack of nutrients and moisture also meant that if more of those were added the plants would be overtaken by other plants.

Perhaps that is the secret to why my asters are happier out of their garden bed with its regular applications of fertilizers and worm castings.