six on Saturday, 4 April 2026

1. The showiest of my six today is the vibrant Formosa Southern Indica Azalea both in the garden and on the rather undeveloped hill behind the house. This is a hardy, evergreen azalea that easily grows to 8 feet tall. The first two photos below are from the garden in the front of the house. The third comes from the back. Bees and butterflies are busy at both locations. If you look really hard–and you are not on a phone screen–you can see an Eastern Yellow Swallowtail at about 12 o’clock on the third. Admittedly, all you are likely to discern, though, is a very small yellow triangle. But the bees and butterflies are there.

2. Another azalea comes next, but this one is a North American native: the Mountain or Piedmont Azalea (Rhododendron canescens). I have several throughout the garden, and they truly are “native,” having been living on this land long before I started cultivating it. So, while there are only a couple of blooms on this bush, they are more welcomed than the flush of flowers on the non-native. Fortunately, a couple of other bushes have several buds developing. Butterflies also like the Piedmont Azalea. And I do, too. In fact I value it enough to make it the featured image of this post.

3. Another native doing well right now is the Eastern red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis). This plant self-seeds very nicely. In fact, much of the patch in the photo on the left below grew from one plant. On the right is a legacy that seeded and grew outside of the garden patch.

4. I transplanted that runaway red columbine in a new circular garden bed I created this spring. It and a few other tiny offsprings are planted in front of the urn at the center of this bed.

5. Another new item is something I’ve been wanting to add since I began studying, visiting, and doing talks about Arts & Crafts gardens. I now have a Lutyens bench. I don’t, however, have an Arts & Crafts garden—except in aspirations.

6. The garden guards compose the final entry for today. Gabby and Xena are on intensive squirrel duty.

Anyone wishing to join in this weekly sharing of garden observations, can find the guidelines in Jim Stephens’ Garden Ruminations along with six interesting updates from Jim’s garden. In the comments, lots of links can also be found for engaging garden posts from varied locations around the globe.