Summer Spectrum

Hi River Roaders,

This last week has seen both heavy rain as well as brilliant sun. This combination has intensified the flowers, fruits, and fungi on our grounds. If you look carefully, you can see the full spectrum of color on our grounds.

RED. This has been a great year for our Cardinal flowers (Lobelia cardinalis) growing in our first and second springs.

ORANGE. Soldier grainy club fungus (Cordyceps militaris) showed up earlier this week in several locations. I recommend you google it to learn about it’s amazing life cycle. Fungi are amazing right now.

ORANGE to YELLOW. If you go the Grounding archive for April 22, you will see a picture of a Jack-in-the Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) growing by our front driveway. Here are the fruits from that flower.

YELLOW. Earlier this year, the Animal Ministry donated funds to buy a number of native plants. Most will bloom next year, but this Common Sneeze weed (Helenium autumnal) is starting to bloom.

YELLOW to GREEN. We have a wonderful stand of Green-headed Coneflowers (Rudbeckia laciniata) by the handicapped parking. This is a great place to stand and watch a great diversity of pollinators.

GREEN. The bench area of our Memorial Garden is a study of green, light, and shadow.

BLUE. Blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelesatinum) in bloom by our playground.

INDIGO (or at least as close as I could get). Don’t hang your white sheets out to dry. It’s pokeweed season! A catbird favorite.

VIOLET. Our Crepe myrtles facing the bridge.

That’s all for this week. Let’s hope things dry out some and it stays cool!

Joe