...fast forward to mid-June and we were off to Nashville, Tennessee, to see my in-laws. Andrew took his fishing rod and we made a stop at Antioch Park. We were greeted by this colorful character...
Who has a not-so-colorful side as well.
There were dozens of this electric blue damsel fly (ebony jewel-wing or Calopteryx maculata) zipping about.
Lots of limestone too!
This was both odd and quite beautiful, the question is... what is it?
As we drove around the Nashville area I made a little mental list of plants I saw taking over any open space and like in the D.C. area, Albizia julibrissin was at the top of the list.
It was everywhere!
Other plants on that list included Campsis radicans, the trumpet vine, which I learned is native to the Eastern US. Ailanthus altissima (the infamous "tree of heaven"), Vinca major, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, and various bamboo also made my list.
The lazy creek looked like a mosquito haven, but neither of us ended up with any bites.
I'd been scanning for moss, mushrooms and lichen—and finally this bad boy caught my eye.
Pretty cool!
Smaller ones on the other side of the branch...
Speaking of bamboo, that's what this ground-cover reminded me of. It was low, like bamboo that had been mowed down and was resprouting. There were no taller canes to be found though, so I'm guessing its resemblance is purely a coincidence. Can anyone make an ID? *update: Microstegium vimineum, aka Japanese stiltgrass, thanks Anonymous!*
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I love these forest walks too. So many extraordinary plants! And coincidentally, I discovered Gales Creek the day I met you in the wine country. Through some sketchy GPS signals and rerouting, on the way home I ended up driving alongside it until it meets up with Highway 6. And if Andrew decided to fish there, it must be the spot!
ReplyDeleteGales Creek made for a lovely walk for me, but sadly no fish to be had for Andrew.
DeleteMaybe it's a reaction to growing up in SoCal but my favorite gardens are woodland spaces, although I don't know how I'd reconcile that preference with my flower fixation. How I wish I could convince my husband to invest in a tiny vacation house somewhere green...
ReplyDeleteI wish you could convince him Kris, like my visits to SoCal in the wintertime an escape to a different climate is a very powerful thing.
DeleteOops, posted response on fb. Maybe that hosta-like thing is Maianthemum Dilatatum? Love the comparison of "forest bathing" in Oregon and Tennessee!
ReplyDeleteI think you called it Jeanne! Thank you.
DeleteFor these Southern California eyes, a riverbed with actual water in it is the greatest wonder.of all
ReplyDeleteThen you'd be really amazed right now, the quick melt from the warmer weather has our streams and rivers running high.
Delete‘Bamboo’ looking ground cover, I think is Stilt Grass, a horrible invasive annual weed.
ReplyDeleteYikes, it definitely looked happy. A little too happy.
DeleteForrest Bathing is a gem of a phrase, and the practice really washes away the daily grime. The butterfly photo on the bit of weathered fence is a work of art; it is almost a black and white photo if not for the splash of wings.
ReplyDeleteIn "Lots of moss too..." (#5): is the ground cover Vancuveria?
I agree, the contrast of colors of the orange butterfly and grey wood, stunning. And, yes the plant in that photo is Vancouveria
DeleteYes, and I even knew that one (the vancouveria), I should have called it out.
DeleteYes, the bamboo-like grass is Microstegium vimineum, from eastern Asia; now an increasing and abundant invasive throughout much of the Southeast and lower Midwest. There's a hint of a silvery-stripe along the midrib of the leaf blade, one of the easy ways to identify this pest.
ReplyDeleteWell that's unfortunate. It looked so good!
DeleteJust looking at these pictures of the forest and plants is calming . I played in the forest as a child and I never forgot how calm it made me feel, even with childish adventures, there was always a sense of calm . Some of my garden reflects my yearning for the deep forest again .. I can never squeeze enough trees in my garden ? LOL
ReplyDeleteLove the photos and that beautiful butterfly against the degrees of gray background was stunning !
Glad you enjoyed!
DeleteThanks for taking us forest bathing. I feel instantly more relaxed!
ReplyDeleteYay! Hope it lasts a bit...
DeleteLoree, such a familiar landscape but so glad I'm away from that area of the country. I should know what that bamboo like plant is but I've been wracking my brain and cannot come up with the name. I saw it all the time in gardens and the wild.
ReplyDeleteIt was ID'd above as Microstegium vimineum, aka Japanese stiltgrass. Looks like a bad character!
DeleteSomething about being in the forest is so soothing for the soul. It was interesting to see the contrasts between the two streams: Oregon one rippling and gurgling seems more energetic than the smooth flowing Tennessee one. Both engaging in their own ways.
ReplyDeleteSo true, I enjoyed them both too.
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