Surprises

One thing I love about plants – they are full of surprises.

This valerian popped up at the edge of the driveway. It seems to be spreading a little. It has surprised me in past years and continues to surprise every spring. It starts out as a small rosette and develops a tall stem with flowers on top. It’s very common around here growing in fields here and there. I’m delighted its in my yard and I want to transplant it into the circle garden eventually.

I found this sunflower growing in the hoophouse and transplanted it into the garden. The seed must have hitched a ride with the black-eyed susans I dug out of the community garden and moved to the hoophouse temporarily. It’s been in all three garden spots! Last year we had a great big tall sunflower in the community garden and I hope this one has the same genes.

These two little blue flowers were so eye-catching out front. I don’t think they have been there before. No idea where they came from. My mother used to call this “scilla.” There was a meadow of it in the side yard of the house I grew up in, a blue carpet in the springtime. It’s also known as Siberian squill. I hope it spreads!