Spring is rapidly turning to summer. Last week we had a hard frost, this week temperatures rocketed into the high 80s. Our tough plants don't seem to mind!  They are exploding into growth and we relish every moment we spend in the garden. Still, we wanted to take a moment to share a few of the highlights of the season. 

Scotch Thistle (Onopordum acanthum) sheltering baby bunnies

Onopordum acanthum, our favorite thistle, offers safe haven to baby bunnies. The large felty leaves are tipped in sharp spikes that deter predators. This may not seem like a positive, but we adore lifting the leaves and peering at our little friends. Our farm was once overrun by rabbits, but their population declined significantly when we began (successfully!) working to increase diversity through planting. Rabbits, in appropriate numbers, are no longer pests, but treasured guests. 

Scotch Thistle makes an excellent feature plant if you have the space. It forms a rosette of enormous felty, spike covered leaves in its first year. In its second year, it grows to a towering seven foot high, blooms prolifically, and seeds freely. Pollinators go absolutely crazy for the gorgeous, magenta thistle flowers. 

Onopordum acanthum magenta flowers

It is also a slightly terrifying plant that is listed as invasive in the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. 

Onopordum acanthum is not listed as invasive in New York state, yet it must be carefully managed. We grow it in an area otherwise surrounded by concrete where it has no chance of escape. If you do not have such a space, please cut off the flowers before they go to seed. If that is too daunting, please do not plant this beauty. 

Echium russicum (viper's bugloss) with bumble bee and Yellow-collared scape moths  (Cisseps fulvicollis)

The hummingbirds have returned! They flit away too quickly for us to photograph, but we regularly catch them enjoying the ruby red flowers of Echium russicum, a rare, super hardy viper's bugloss. Bees, butterflies, and moths love it too! 

This tough plant will perennialize and reseed reliably if provided well-drained soil in full sun. 

Fun fact: It was once believed that this plant could cure the bite of a viper - hence the common name.

eastern black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes asterius)

Butterflies are emerging. This beautiful Eastern black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes asterius) spent last summer as a caterpillar feeding on our fennel plants, overwintered as a chrysalis, then emerged just last week. It is now enjoying the spring bloom show. 

Spongy moth caterpillar (Lymantria dispar dispar) eating leaf.
Image Credit: Haplochromis, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Spongy moths laying eggs on tree bark (Lymantria dispar dispar)
Image Credit: Kristof Zyskowski & Yulia Bereshpolova, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Like many in the Northeast, we have been hit hard by Spongy moth caterpillars (previously known as Gypsy moths). We refuse to use chemicals or pesticides of any kind on our farm. Instead, we raise our plants tough and know that they will have the strength to recover in future years. For now, we try to remain equanimous. 

Edith, our equanimous friend