Summer
SEASONAL HIGHLIGHTS
Summer
Full of Life
When summer arrives, the Garden is at its fullest and most lush. This is when baby birds fledge, butterfly caterpillars munch on leaves, flowers bloom, and the meadow fields are filled with activity and growth. Despite the heat, this is a wonderful time to wander the Garden.
Hooded Pitcher Plant
The Hooded Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia minor) is one of many interesting carnivorous plants in our Bog Garden. This tall, upright pitcher with an overarching hood will fascinate you. It has translucent patches that allow light to enter, attracting flying insects into the ‘mouth’. The pitcher is filled with enzymes that help with the digestion of its prey. Although flying insects are attracted to the plant, its main food source is ants!
Prairie Sundrops
Summer also brings out the Prairie Sundrops (Oenothera pilosella). This lovely bit of sunshine is a member of the primrose family. Each flower has four petals and a pleasant fragrance but it only blooms during the day. The blooms are short-lived but, fortunately for us, they produce a succession of flowers for four to six weeks.
Butterfly Weed
Butterfly Weed or Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) is beginning to bloom in early June. The monarch butterflies will lay their eggs soon on the leaves and the caterpillars will eat the leaves and stems. This type of butterfly weed stays relatively short at around one foot and doesn’t spread as vigorously as the common milkweed.
Common Milkweed
If you want to support even more monarch butterfly caterpillars, plant Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) which can reach a height of 5 feet. It also begins to bloom the first of June. You will see this in many of the sunny areas of the Garden.
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is a beautiful native shrub that blooms most of the summer. The fall color of the leaves is also beautiful with deep red hues.
Paw Paw
It is somewhat difficult to spot the small Paw Paw (Asimina triloba) fruit in June. You will need to keep a close look out for it near the Calcareous Ravine.
Purple coneflower
The very popular Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) blooms most of the summer if deadheaded occasionally. Leave the seeds in the fall for the birds during the winter. This flower can be found in several areas of the Garden.
Cardinal Flower
The Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is a hummingbird favorite because of its red color. It prefers to grow in some shade and will seed around in moist soil. It can be found in the Hummingbird Garden as well as the Swamp.
False Indigo
False Indigo (Baptisia alba) is a long-lived native plant that comes up looking like asparagus and rises to about 4 to 5 feet with numerous blooms along the stems. The flowers become seed pods that turn black in late summer and you can hear the seeds rattling inside.
Bee Balm
Summer is when so many nectar plants bloom to provide food for pollinators. Look closely at the Bee Balm (Monarda) to see if you can discover the pollinators enjoying a meal. It has a lovely scent that attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. This perennial is in the mint family and was used by Native Americans for its medicinal benefits.
Smooth Hydrangea
Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) is in peak bloom by mid-June. This is a native shrub that can be pruned in late winter and will still bloom that summer.
The Shade Garden
The Shade Garden is flush with foliage and blooms in early summer.
The Pollinator Garden
The Pollinator Garden is alive with so many of our native pollinators. You have to look closely to find them sometimes. See how many you can find.
Hummingbird Garden
Hummingbirds have been back since early April and are very active by June. The plants in this bed are particularly loved by hummingbirds, so it is very possible that you will see them feeding.
Cottage Garden
The nearby Cottage Garden has traditional flowering favorites as well practical plants for the kitchen such as herbs. See how many you can name.
Raised Planter
In between the Hummingbird and Cottage Gardens, you will find a raised planter. Guess what it is made in the shape of. Hint: It is an insect that flutters around these plants drinking nectar from its straw like proboscis.
Therapy Garden
The vegetables in the Therapy Garden have fruit that must be harvested often during this productive time of the year. The Arc will be able to make lots of meals with their harvest.
All Kinds of Visitors
It is not only the hummingbirds that enjoy the Phlox (Phlox paniculata) and Salvia (Salvia guaranitica) in the Garden. Butterflies and bees are frequent visitors as well to these plants that will flower all summer if deadheaded.
Hops Fruit
Look closely at the vine on the patio arbor for the hops fruit that is used for beer making.
Horace Duskywings
The Horace Duskywings gathers pollen from the lantana…
Hummingbird Moth
And the Hummingbird Moth will entertain you with its quick moves among the Bee Balm (Mondarda) as it hovers to suck in nectar.
Blanket Flower
As the summer heats up in July, you will begin to see the plants that enjoy the hot temperatures and dry conditions. The Blanket Flower (Gaillardia) is one of these plants. It may be found in the Pollinator Garden where many insects feed on it after the other spring blooming plants have gone to seed.
Rattlesnake Master
But, of course, summer brings more than flowers to our Garden. This Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium) offers food to bees and wasps.
Mountain Mint
The native Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) is guaranteed to be alive with insects on a warm day. This day, it was the Great Black Digger Wasp that was feeding. Some people say that the plant has so many insects that it appears to shimmer in the sun.
Turk's-Cap Lily
Turk’s-cap Lily (Lilium superbum) is a must see in the Marsh. This photo was taken on July 25th and you should mark your calendars for about a week around this time to not miss it.
The Button Bush
The Button Bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) is across the path in the Butterfly Garden. By the end of July, it has the round seed heads that gives it the common name. This tall native shrub enjoys moist soil and can be found growing along creeks.
Arrowwood Viburnum
The Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) that bloomed in the spring has blue fruit by August that the birds will love eating.
Clematis
The Clematis (Clematis integrifolia) growing on the patio arbor has been blooming since spring and continues through August. We sometimes cut it back to the ground in early spring to control the growth and it quickly forms buds and blooms.
Wildlife
Birds flourish in the Garden too during the summer. Many are still nesting and raising young and some are fledglings out for that first taste of open flight. Others are done with the nesting season and ready to have some berries, seeds, or insects for lunch.
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Address
5537 Centerville Rd
Williamsburg, VA 23188
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 1577
Williamsburg, VA 23187