… if by cultivating, I just mean walking around and seeing what’s growing on July 3, 2024.

After a very warm, rainy June, the wet meadow is greener than it’s been in our 3 summers here so far. Lots of white flowers (naturally growing, i.e. not planted) are blooming right now; for example, above, water hemlock, tall meadow rue, Canadian elderberry and Canada anemone. Meanwhile, the native plants I’ve been planting are really taking off (below):

I’ll add Latin names later: from top right, clockwise: Scarlet Beebalm (Monarda didyma), Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), a Blue butterfly and yellow crab spider on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), Ironweed, about to bloom; Virginia mountain-mint, about to bloom; Hoary Vervain, grown from seeds collected in the amazing native gardens at University College, University of Toronto; White Vervain, in foreground, with Burr Oak, Common Milkweed and more behind it; centre, a large stink bug and “daddy-longlegs” on a Common Milkweed leaf.