Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, June 29

Good afternoon folks. KT is under the weather and asked if I could fill in. So here I am. Feel free to jump in Gardening, Puttering and Adventures. Just remember no politics or current events. Or you'll be mucking stalls for fertilizer.

Today's opening photo is of the Wisconsin State Flower, wood violet, or Viola papilionacea for those fancy flower gardeners.

It seems every State or Commonwealth has some form of animal, fish, flower, plants, etc.

So how did Wisconsin get the wood violet for state flower instead of the cad yellow dandelion?

Why is the wood violet Wisconsin's state flower?
According to the Wisconsin Blue Book, school children in 1908 nominated four candidates for the state flower: the wood violet, wild rose, trailing arbutus and white water lily. On Arbor Day 1909, the final vote was taken, and the wood violet won. It was officially recognized as Wisconsin's state flower by law in 1949.

However, Wisconsin residents admired the wood violet long before it was the state's official flower, Proflowers.com says. Pictures of the flower appeared on a state stamp all the way back in 1848.

Wood violets top a Spring Sangria cocktail at Goodkind in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood
Are wood violets native to Wisconsin?
Yes, wood violets are native to Wisconsin and much of eastern North America.

According to Proflowers, wood violets can be found in nearly all Wisconsin counties and thrive in wet woodlands.

I have dabbled with perennials and annuals for a few years. Our last home had wonderful perennial flower beds. Plus I added more. Our newest home, 6 years, doesn't have as many beds. But, the beds we do have survived pretty well against the Frozen Tundra winters, Whitetail deer and cottontail rabbits as well as snowshoe hares.

Health has been an issue this year and the flower gardening has been pretty much non-existent. We will have to plant some more perennials and fill the various pots and planters with annuals. Instead of traveling to a garden center, I'm thinking about obtaining a small greenhouse. Holy Moly!!!! I had no idea there were that many plans yet alone videos for greenhouses.

So you're probably thinking, have you ever planted anything from scratch. Glad you asked. I have used milk jugs to act as little mini-greenhouses. I have had success with Lupines, Rudbeckia, Coneflowers, Shasta Daisy to name but a few.

Here's hoping that KT makes a quick recovery and is back next Saturday. Same garden channel, same garden time.

posted by Misanthropic Humanitarian at 01:01 PM

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