Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Lewissii in the Sky with Diamonds

Cellophane flowers of yellow and green,
Towering over your head . . .
Lucy in the sky with diamonds,
Lucy in the sky with diamonds,
Lucy in the sky with diamonds,
"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,"  The Beatles

This past weekend I purchased some blue flax (Linum Lewissi) seeds and debated using them.  Today, I decided that I definitely would and started them in some peat pots and placed them in some plastic Ziploc bags to germinate.  I debated starting them because the pictures that I saw online of them showed some rather scraggly looking stalks as it is a wildflower.  What won me over was the history of the flower. 

First and foremost, they are named after Lewis of the Lewis and Clarke Expedition.  They are a native plant that was one of the 178 that Lewis and Clarke introduced to the world as American plants.  For more on their history go to:  http://www.santafebotanicalgarden.org/subpages/POM%20May09%20Blue%20flax.html

In addition, they are attractive to butterflies and birds.  I am hoping to attract some beautiful wildlife to our front yard so that by the time our wrap around porch is ready the blooms, birds, butterflies, and bees will give us a beautiful vista.


As with the blue flax, I found more information online about another of the dry stream plants I've chosen:  milkweed, which I sowed two weeks ago.  Three of the plants have germinated and moved up to the grow light.  What excited me about these was an post written by Jan at http://thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/2010/08/monarch-for-wildflower-wednesday.html

Center tp pots:  Milkweed seedlings

She explained that milkweed is the only place where Monarch butterflies lay eggs!   Jan also provides information on having your garden certified as a Monarch Waystation.   Wow!  Now, I am so hopeful that my ciderellas take off.  If you'd like free milkweed seeds there is a website that will send you some:
http://www.livemonarch.com/free-milkweed-seeds.htm

Head to Dave's for Seed Sowing Saturday!
http://www.growingthehomegarden.com/


4 comments:

  1. I kind of like the scraggliness of the Blue Flax, it's interesting. It looks like a great choice for a rock garden or your dry stream bed. Thanks for the info about Milkweed, I'm definitely going to get some to plant!

    I passed on the Stylish Blogger award to you. Congrats!
    http://shannon-thegardenstate.blogspot.com/2011/02/stylin.html

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  2. Thanks so much, Shannon! I am very excited about the milkweed, but so far only three seeds have germinated. I am not sure why. One is looking awesome; one was great, but I somehow uprooted it :( and one is still very small. Good luck with yours!!

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  3. Milkweed is definitely a beneficial plant for monarchs. We have the orange butterfly weed in our garden but not milkweed. I think the butterfly weed is another host plant but I'm not 100% sure.

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  4. Thanks for the info on butterfly weed, Dave. I don't have any, yet . . .

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