Garden Oddities

Teeny native Penstemon blossom and buds.

Have you ever looked at a plant or bug in the garden and said, WOW!  I certainly do that often, especially when I inherit an unfamiliar plant or see a teeny toad. 


Teeny Strawberry Begonia flower (no petals are missing).



It's amazing that after 20 years of gardening, I still do not know all the plants created by Mother Nature.  Plant hybridizers have added to the list by creating vast hordes of new varieties for us to enjoy but often it is the simple native plant species that amaze me the most.

Hybridizers have created larger flowers for a real pop of color.  It's hard to see some of the native flowers because they are so small but once you do, it leaves an impression and one wonders why we had to toy with nature in the first place.

My husband photographed this cute warty American Toad.

I am first a collector and secondly a rather pitiful landscaper which makes my gardens more of a "cottage" effect.  Different plant varities sprayed here and there.  Oh if I were only more artistic with my landscaping, utilizing multiple plant species to create visual impact (yawn).

Now don't get me started on cute wildlife... there are too many odd crawly things to even include in this post.  But very often you might think you hear crickets but they are really frogs or toads... and they are more difficult to visually identify than plants!  You can only be certain by their call.  For Virginians, the prior link is the best website to explore when trying to identify a reptile or amphibian.



Lovely Variegated Solomon Seal

 I hope you enjoy some of the oddities on Forsythia Hill.  Do you have an amazing oddity to share with us?  Please leave a comment about it!

-Rebecca