Purple-flowering raspberry (Rosa odoratus) in the rain Saturday. © BCP 2010
I took this photo of my purple-flowering raspberry bush (Rosa odoratus) on my rainy meander through my own backyard on Saturday night. What shocked me is how long these plants have been blooming — I’d say at least a month.
This incredibly hardy member of the rose family has more than gorgeous, long-lasting blooms going for it; it’s native to eastern North America. That means I can have it in my yard without feeling guilty.
I’m trying, relatively successfully, to turn my little patch of green into a tiny shaded woodlot. That means when Manitoba and Norway maples self-seed on my little hillside, I try to yank them out before they get too big. Sugar maples, red maples, silver maples — they get the green light to stay.
My purple-flowering raspberry bushes, however lovely, threaten to take over my maples, my cedars (all native species) and even my little garden shed seems to be vanishing under their gigantic spreading leaves. It’s looking quite Day of the Triffids-ish out there. The only thing giving the raspberry bushes a run for their money are my dogwoods — both pagoda (Cornus alternifolia) and red osier (C. stolonifera). They, loving the damp shady semi-swamp that is my yard, both have their own Triffid thing going…. I really ought to do something about it.
One of the last patches of dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis) growing wild in my yard. © BCP 2010
I’m also including a picture of another quite pretty flower that’s growing wild back there (some are white, and some are the palest shade of pinkish/violet). I think these are Dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis), an old-fashioned European garden plant that escaped cultivation and is now widely naturalized. Wiki says that this plant was brought to North America in the 17th century!
Dame’s rocket is considered to be mildly noxious and is banned in some states.
As for my yard? There used to be bigger pockets of these flowers on my little hill. But the purple-flowering raspberries stomped all over them. Now there are only a few rockets left. I guess I should do something about that, too.
Maybe later.
© BCP 2010
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