Happily things are just starting to flower, and its a been a nice day to see how things are progressing in the Native Yard. It looks like many of the perennials have over-wintered well and are coming back in force (large mounds), but I think it will be a month or so before everything is flowering. Meanwhile, some photos of whats going on today….

Yard April 2013  Top – from SW corner looking east, bottom SE half. Things are starting to green up

The blue flax are just starting to flower

The blue flax — Linum lewisii are doing well. Although they are a perennial, they seem to be quite good as seeding themselves as they are popping up “unplanted” in the SE half of the yard.  And another perennial, the Prairie verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida) seems to have expanded its holding a little since last year.

Prairie verbena

Although I spend a good amount of time doing battle with the annual weed Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) – a fairly pointless activity it has to be said – it is much appreciated by the White-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata). There were at least 3-4 of these guys zipping around the yard this morning; apparently evening primrose (which we are not lacking in) is a food plant for the caterpillar, which make explain their abundance.

White-lined Sphinx Moth 2013

Spot the wings! Making the most of the henbit

The native honeysuckle that I bought from Canyon’s Edge last spring (note that they are open for sales from April 12th through end of May), has been going great guns, ad I had to connect up the climbing string between the two plants.

Lonicera sempervirens

Honeysuckle in flower!

Tigga’s cheapo trellis — string and nails! Hoping to encourage the two plants to fill in the gap