Gifts from birds: Queen Anne's lace (wild carrot)

Queen Anne's lace (Photo by bodhilens)

I'm tickled whenever I find a new wild flower growing in our yard and enjoy learning about it. I've so far identified spiderwort, European black nightshade, common yellow woodsorrel (aka lemon clover), and Queen Anne's lace (aka wild carrot). Many people call them weeds, but I see them as gifts from birds. Actually, spiderwort is sometimes sold at a store, so I guess some people consider it precious as I do. A few black nightshades popped up in our sunflower bed last summer. Their fruits did taste like very sweet tomatoes. (Tomatoes belong to the nightshade family.) I sowed the seeds in the ground, but I haven't seen them coming out yet. Did you know that a common yellow woodsorrel's floriography is "shining heart," and that it has been used as the design of family seals in Japan because its strong breeding capability symbolizes a long-lasting family line? (This link is in Japanese.) Just amazing how some people paid attention and gave meaning to such a small plant. This summer Queen Anne's lace stands out in our yard for its size and beauty. Queen Anne's lace is also considered as a companion plant for tomatoes because it attracts beneficial insects. That's perfect in our yard because I'm growing a lot of tomatoes. Another pretty wild flower is growing around our bird feeder for the second year. Its seedlings are just like those of morning glories, but this plant has tiny white flowers. If anyone knows what this plant is called, please let me know.

A mystery plant (Photo by bodhilens)

Nasturtiums are blooming

I'm experimenting on companion planting, hopefully to regulate pests organically and/or improve the flavors of vegetables. I sowed seeds of dwarf nasturtiums around tomatoes and zucchinis in late April. It took a while for them to germinate, but once they did, they have been growing steadily....and now they are blooming beautifully. I haven't found them trapping aphids yet, but that's OK. It's easy for me to pick some clean and fresh leaves and flowers to eat raw. They taste peppery, similar to radish sprouts. I plan to garnish a salad with them soon. (Photo by bodhilens)