Ranunculus, ie Persian Buttercup. One of my favorite summer cut flowers.
Some images from our front-yard permaculture garden, as we slowly transition more and more beds to perennial crops (as time and budget permit).
Front yard late June. Lupines are self-sowing around. The first year of since ripping out the dahlias which used to fill the entire bed. This guild includes honeyberries, plum trees, a baby quince (staked, on the right), rhubarb, currants, lilacs, oodles of beneficial perennial flowering plants, bronze fennel, comfrey. Â Annual veggies and blueberries behind.
Oh yeah, it’s a jungle. Â I still think it’s more beautiful than any monoculture lawn, don’t you?
Another view of the front beds and grape arbor. Large plant on the right is bronze fennel. Left of the arbor: New honeyberries and “Early Laxton” plum (and many perennial flowers, lovage rhubarb, etc as well). Â Artichoke behind young plum produced about 8 heads, but leaves are also a good source of mulch.Yarrow ( Achillea millefolium). This is a red variety, but I also have white, coral, pink and yellow scattered around the yard. Â Great permaculture plant – attracts many beneficial insects and can be used to staunch bleeding from cuts (works really well, actually.)
Planting beneficial, useful, and edible plants doesn’t mean sacrificing beauty and blooms in your landscape.
Young plum guild: Third year of “Methley” dwarf plum I grafted a few years back, “Pagoda” honeyberry, “Hood” strawberries, lavender, chives, bee balm, native iris, oriental poppies, variegated land cress, columbine, oregano. Nasturtiums from the neighboring garlic bed have invaded a bit (lower right).Another view of the young plum guild (annuals in beds behind).
All of this was lawn four years ago (plus the neighbor’s hedge). Â Of course, it’s all in transition, but as the trees and shrubs mature, it will continue to move from scraggly to ever-more beautiful and diverse and productive. Â (But always look a bit wild, I hope.)
The cool and constant rain should give-way to temps near 90F by the weekend. Â I know the tomatoes and peppers and squash will be grateful for some true summer weather.
Please come back over the weekend for a walk through our backyard and sideyard gardens.
“I still think it’s more beautiful than any monoculture lawn, don’t you?”
HECK, YES!! I haven’t ventured much into intermingling my edibles and perennial flowers, but I’m looking forward to doing more of that in our next home. …and the longer I do this, the more hidden talents I discover in the plants I’ve already nurtured. (And now a new one – never knew that about red yarrow. Thanks!)
Edited the yarrow bit: They come in a huge array of colors. Be careful, because they can self-sow freely and widely. Doesn’t bother me much, as I just replant or pull up wandering seedlings. I will get that book list to you soon! 🙂
“I still think it’s more beautiful than any monoculture lawn, don’t you?”
HECK, YES!! I haven’t ventured much into intermingling my edibles and perennial flowers, but I’m looking forward to doing more of that in our next home. …and the longer I do this, the more hidden talents I discover in the plants I’ve already nurtured. (And now a new one – never knew that about red yarrow. Thanks!)
Edited the yarrow bit: They come in a huge array of colors. Be careful, because they can self-sow freely and widely. Doesn’t bother me much, as I just replant or pull up wandering seedlings. I will get that book list to you soon! 🙂