We are deep in the Minnesota jungle. Lost! Fighting for
survival. The plants tower above us. Huge white flowers peer down at us. WHAT
ARE THEY???? Ok, maybe it’s not the jungle but it sure looks like it from this
angle. I hear a rescue helicopter approaching and I will provide an overhead
view to make this a lot easier.
The plants are Mayapples and the English called them mandrake. English folklore says they scream when pulled
from the ground! As you can see, the white flowers cannot be seen from overhead
and so I had to lie down on the ground to photograph them. I did think the
umbrella like stalk and leaves had a somewhat tropical effect. Thus my
"jungle" fantasy.
The plants beyond the mayapples are lily of the valley.
These plants both represent the third year of my effort to restore woodland gardens
to the north section of our property. The south plot is in its sixth year. Both
are the result of intent to reduce grassy areas, fertilizing, herbicides and
mowing. The oak wood, where our house now stands, was once the residence to
several horses and later a playground for our two sons.
This area, also in the north section, gets a little more sunlight, so the buttercups seem to do quite well
I must admit some of the flowers here, I don't have a clue
as to what they are. I cleared brush, did some burning and in the fall threw
some seeds on the ground labeled "shady wildflowers." So be it. I'm
not going to be a native restoration type of purist. In other words, if it’s a
flower and grows in the shade I’ll take it. Mrs. T loves hostas . I do too.
These Japanese "aliens" are
more than welcome here.
Finally I built some simple benches, restored an old picnic
table and added a fire ring. This project is turning out to be a lot of fun and
I'm just getting started!
How great it is that you are trying to restore a natural kind of woodland garden. We called the Mayflower plant the Umbrella plant. They live in the Carolinian Forest and not in our Boreal Forest.
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ReplyDeleteButtercups will take over if given the chance, but they are pretty when in a natural setting. Kudos to you for restoring the land to nature, with no need to mow or spread herbicides. And it sure looks pretty, too! :-)
ReplyDeleteLooking good. We used to find morels under the mayapples.
ReplyDeleteSome people shoot me an "odd and weird guy" look when I tell them it is okay to role play. Not only okay but lots of fun when reality gets boring or sad or tedious - well, all the things reality does to us or rather our perception of it.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your post and think what you are doing on your land is really good. It's a playground. :)
I can just imagine sitting on your benches around the fire pit roasting hot dogs and marshmallows. Only, I don't like hot dogs so I will just eat the marshmallows. Maybe with some chocolate and graham crackers? :)
ReplyDeleteWishing you a happy weekend!
xo Catherine
It is nice that we had all the moisture to make all those flowers bloom. Projects are fun.
ReplyDeleteIt's always humbling to work with nature! I love how you live with native plants and take what you get with kindness and wisdom.
ReplyDeleteI like this idea. May your woodlands restoration flourish!
ReplyDeleteNow you are talkin'! Its nice to stick a little Sweet Woodruff in for a tiny white flower and pretty leaves. This area is going to be a special joy for you and Mrs. T.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the Harry Potter films? Whenever I see Mandrake mentioned, I think of one of these movies! (Can't remember which one,
Jo
i like your lush northern gardens!
ReplyDeleteLove how well your mayapple is doing - and I never knew that it was called mandrake in England! Always fun to learn something like that.
ReplyDeleteHere I've had a single mayapple in for about 5 years - it's surviving and has even sent up a companion, but I've never seen a bloom and it hasn't increased beyond that simple doubling. Ah, well, we're probably at the dry extreme for its range.
Wonderful to see your mayapple plants and flowers! I recall them fondly from my Pennsylvania years--the ripe, yellow fruits are perhaps the tastiest thing beyond the gates of Eden.
ReplyDeleteGreat job of using nature in your landscaping. A really good book on this is called Naturescape. I'm not sure if it's that widely circulated. It should be on line but it's not.
ReplyDeleteI have been letting mother nature take back the pasture land that came with my home. It has become a fascinating journey to watch the beauty that has taken over a colorless piece of land. Now I have lots of wild plants and wildlife that I am sure you have too. So nice to read about your natural return of your land. -- barbara
ReplyDeleteI am not sure we have them up here..interesting plant. Your restoration project is coming along..you have some of the basics, the firepit and a picnic table! Hostas are easy to care for and give your shade some color:)
ReplyDeleteA friend told me that the May apple fruit makes a wonderful jelly if one can find enough fruits. I imagine you would have to search two whole states to get enough!
ReplyDeleteI like what you're doing with your garden! Birds will flock to it!
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of Mayapples - and I didn't know about the Mandrake connection. The ones growing around here are already starting to get a little spotty (on the leaves) as they decline into summer :)
ReplyDeleteBTW, kudos to you on the restoration work you're doing. This is exactly the kind of thinking more of us need to adapt in this world of ours. Three cheers!
What an interesting looking plant. Goodness, a flower with an umbrella. Love your jungle.
ReplyDeleteGreat project! Glad you're enjoying it. Love the mandrakes! I don't think I've ever seen them before.
ReplyDeleteso lovely! i am a huge fan of reducing grass (and mowing) and encouraging "weeds" and flowers to return... i have a patch or two of wild ones running riot in the back yard (cleavers, dock, dandelion, ground ivy, etc) and now even my kale has jumped to another area and dozens of young volunteers are growing like mad! it's always interesting to see what shows up - now i have to try to save the remaining jewelweed... your property looks green and inviting, especially to the wild creatures that i know you and mrs T and Baron love so dearly - enjoy!
ReplyDeleteIf you feel like traveling to Florida, I could use some benches. Your handiwork looks great, and so do your woodland plants, native or not. I agree with you about the purist aspect. As long as the plants aren't the kind to get out of control and displace the indigenous ones, they're okay with me.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your jungle fantasy, and I admire your ambition. I'm trying to reduce the grassy portion of our yard, but I'm not as ambitious as you are.
ReplyDeleteWe are growing a jungle this year; not deliberately though. There's been so much rain that everything is growing rampantly.
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