What's Blooming Now in the Ellipse Garden?

AUGUST 2008 IN THE ELLIPSE GARDEN:

Butterflies are all over the Butterfly Garden, principally on ironweed, tickseed, verbena, lantana, and the butterfly bushes. Masses of monarch caterpillars were seen on the swamp milkweed. Seashore mallow is blooming in the native woods wetland area, and whorled rosinweed, along with the few cardinal flowers that escaped deer browse.

Gary Driscoll and Adrienne Frank have been working in the herb garden, which is lush with many species of interesting herbs. In the grass garden, the river oats are showing attractive tan seedheads. This is a great plant for a slightly shady, moist spot in the home garden; the seedheads are attractive in arrangements of fall flowers.

--Helen Hamilton, Horticulture Committee