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NATURE’S TURN: Nature turns on the edge of freezing – a photo essay

Keying out the details of what remains of the plant on the stormy day on which I write of this discovery, observation points to the noveboracensis, a phenomenal New York Ironweed. I am eager for a close look during the 2019 growing season.
Written by Judy Isacoff
November Sun ignites the red berries of North American holly, Ilex verticilata. This shrub attracts pileated woodpeckers, turkeys and flocks of robins, catbirds to my garden. Commonly known as Winterberry, the females are prominent in wild and cultivated winter landscapes. Winterberries are dioecious: females bear the bright fruits; males are inconspicuous. Photo: Judy Isacoff

November 5 – 18, 2018

Mount Washington —

Vital, delicious after several frosts: upper left, deeply indented leaf edges – Kyona Mizuna; below and above the Mizuna, Ruby Streaks / Rouge Matis Mustard. On the left, peaking out below Rouge Matis, Tat Soi. Middle foreground, arugula; to the right, Giant Red Mustard, then Komatsuma or a Pac Choi, possibly Prize Pac Choi. This tapestry of Asian greens is from a ready-mix by Turtle Tree Seed. Photo: Judy Isacoff
Nourished by November sunlight, vibrant late carrot planting has shrugged off several frosts. Photo: Judy Isacoff
Potted celery plants, in need of pruning and marred by frost, poised to be placed indoors in a sunny window. They will provide a fresh harvest of stalks and leaves for several months. Photo: Judy Isacoff
Deepest frost of the season coated my garden house roof on October 31. In the foreground, a recently established planting of ironweed. At 9 feet tall, it exceeds all estimates of maximum height for New York Ironweed, Vernonia noveboracensis, the only ironweed I knew until this writing. Curious, I opened a field guide to wildflowers, where I found Tall Ironweed, Vernonia altissima, that logs in at 4 to 10 feet. Keying out the details of what remains of the plant on the stormy day on which I write of this discovery, observation points to the noveboracensis, a phenomenal New York Ironweed. I am eager for a close look during the 2019 growing season. Photo: Judy Isacoff
Crimson clover cover crop with beads of melted frost. Photo: Judy Isacoff
Garden sage, salvia officicinalis, with thyme, still viable for fresh use and to hang to dry in bunches. Droplets of melted frost add to its charm, along with the dragonfly, that is perennial, too. Photo: Judy Isacoff

Resources

Ironweed – https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/species/vernonia/noveboracensis/http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=277487&isprofile=1&basic=vernonia#AllImages, http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=277606&isprofile=0&

Sage: care and culinary uses – http://www.barbarapleasant.com/gardensage.html

Opportunities to participate

Upcoming programs at Berkshire Botanical Gardens – https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/rooted-place-3rd-annual-ecological-gardening-symposium

https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/herbal-extractions

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