A Thrilling Discovery

I have had a mystery plant growing in front of my house. I've been convinced since spring that it is only a weed but have allowed it to grow anyways. It got taller and taller and taller. I was sorely tempted to pull it out. I just couldn't bring myself to do it until I knew for sure what it was. It has finally bloomed. The myster is solved.

It is goldenrod. According to the book on attracting butterflies and hummingbirds that I just finished reading, it is a magnet for Monarch butterflies. In fact, it is on the author's Top Ten List of flowers to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. It is a nectar plant for butterflies, hummingbirds visit it to eat small insects and according to one of the gardening classes I took in the spring, it attracts beneficial insects. I am thrilled with my new plant!

It is a perennial that spreads easily by runners. I'm going to move it to the Orange/Yellow Garden in the backyard next month when I take time off from work to plant all of the bulbs and plants I ordered.

In the picture you can just see on the left one of my Nikko Blue hydrangeas. Immediately below it are asters. To the right and below the goldenrod is Garden Balsam which is on its last legs at this time of year and not terribly attractive. Believe it or not, underneath all of that are two rosebushes, the Fairy and the General Jacqueminot. They grew well this year just not very big. Next year, they should be much more assertive.