8.2

Asclepias tuberosa, aka butterfly weed. 

There is a living history museum in southeastern Wisconsin called Old World Wisconsin. Spend the day observing folks in period dress farming, blacksmithing, cooking, weaving, you get the idea. I didn't know it at the time, but during some of our visits there a woman named Kathleen Ernest was on staff. She would eventually write a series of books about a fictional character named Chloe Ellefson. Chloe is based on Kathleen's experiences as curator. The first book of the series is titled Old World Murder. But I digress.

In the garden of one of the historic sites there was a lovely flower blooming. Unfortunately, it was not identified and no one working on the site seemed to know its name.

Not far from OWW is another favorite place to visit, Boerner Botanical Garden. Here I discovered not only the name, but that this congenial sweetie is a wildflower native to our region. 

I had fallen in love. 

A hardy perennial, it is not difficult to grow from seed and will bloom in your garden the first year. It has a long cigar like root which does not appreciated disturbance, so transplanting is not recommended. 

Naturally when I began to work the gardens here I would have her join me. Now, in full bloom, she brings a full smile and gladness to the heart.

Slow to emerge in spring, note well where she is planted so as not to disturb her.