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Take Action for Earth Day
In honor of Earth Day this oast week, I encourage you all to take a small action locally. You can do any activity that helps enrich the world around you. Clean up garbage in your local park, learn about proper composting or set up a composting bin, plant a native tree in an appropriate setting, learn about helpful pollinator plants or go as far as converting your lawn to a wildflower field – the world is full of opportunity.
I took an opportunity over the weekend to do a bit of cleanup. I’m already wearing gloves everywhere, why not use them! I filled a bag over the course of a single hour of picking up. It was productive, I had fun, and so did my pup. Plus I got the chance to see a bunch of plants too!
With every week, the landscape is changing. That is spring for you, a shifting kaleidoscope as leaves emerge to face the summer sun. Here are some that you may see around your neighborhood.
I found a beautiful purple leaf plum tree (Prunus cerasifera ‘Thundercloud’) down the street from me. It’s lovely pink flowers are accentuated by a dark purple leaf and dark branches. The flowers are fragrant so if they are close enough, take your time to smell those blooms.
All around I saw various azaleas as well (Rhododendron spp.). These small leafed rhododendrons are common landscaping plants and are now in their full colorful glory. You’ll find the most common native Rhododendron arborescens in the woods will bloom later, in June. In the meantime, enjoy the wide range of cultivars that will be popping in color in your neighborhood.
These are coming towards the end of their bloom period, but glorious quince (Chaenomeles spp.) are still blooming their rose-like flowers. These are some of my favorite landscaping shrubs because of their frequent gorgeous brightly colored blooms.
If you look down, you’ll find some people have planted lovely groundcovers that are currently in their full potential. Among these is the common lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis). I love the spotted leaves on this European native.
Purple dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum) is often found alongside other groundcovers. It spreads like something vicious with access to the sun, but it is widely used in foraging recipes.
I also found some brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’) used as a groundcover. This beautiful silver-leafed groundcover produces a light blue flower that is reminiscent of forget-me-nots.
Finally I was stunned by a clump of evergreen candytuft (Iberis sempervirens). It is so bright white that they are impossible to miss. It is native to southern Europe and now a common landscaping plant.
