The Writings of Eloise Butler

Notable Features of my Wild Garden

ca 1915 (Spring)

Notable Features of My Wild Garden

[Note: To facilitate identification of plants, we have taken the liberty of adding the information that is in colored type within brackets and also all the botanical names have been put into italics ]

The site of the Wild Garden was chosen particularly on account of the tamarack swamp and adjacent meadows which contained several interesting or beautiful plants that were not to be found elsewhere in the vicinity of Minneapolis, as Linnaea (Twin flower), Showy lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium reginae Walter), False asphodel (Tofieldia) (T. pusilla (Michx.) and Triglochin (Arrowgrass). The pitcher-plant and Turk’s-cap lily also abundant. After linnaea, the chief pride of the garden, are the Fringed gentians, the larger and the smaller, crinita and detonsa, (the smaller is now considered to be Gentianopsis virgata) which grow luxuriantly, tinting the meadows blue in late August late into September.

Other plants that are prized for their beauty and that grow in large effective masses are Buckbean (Menyanthes trifoliata), dwarf cornel (Cornus canadensis), Pyrola asarifolia (Wintergreen), Trientalis americana (Starflower) Coptis trifolia (Threeleaf goldthread), Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), Eupatorium purpureum (Sweet-scented Joe Pye Weed), E. urticifolium (White Snakeroot),

Heliopsis scabra (Smooth Oxeye, now Heliopsis helianthoides (L.) Sweet var. scabra), Rudbeckia hirta (Blackeyed Susan), R. laciniata (Green-headed Coneflower), Monarda fistulosa (Wild Bergamot), Galium boreale (Northern Bedstraw), Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey Tea), Lathyrus venosus (Veiny pea), many goldenrods (the masses being chiefly S(oldago) canadensis (Canada Goldenrod), serotina (now Solidago gigantea Aiton, Giant Goldenrod) and latifolia (now Solidago flexicaulis L. Zigzag Goldenrod); the most splendid the speciosa (Showy Goldenrod); the most interesting, S. uliginosa (Bog Goldenrod), a genuine rod in shape). One of my banks in early spring is thronged with the pretty Anemonella thalictroides (Rue Anemone, now Thalictrum thalictroides L.). This gives way to an equally profuse growth of Wild geranium or cranesbill (Geranium maculatum L.), followed for the rest of the season by sunflowers, chiefly (Helianthus) strumosus (Paleleaf Woodland Sunflower) and tuberosus (Jerusalem artichoke). It is a wonder that the soil can support such a rank succession. I have several other sunflowers in other places, and splendid masses particularly of H. grosseserratus (Sawtooth Sunflower), giganteus (Tall Sunflower), Maximiliani (Maximilian Sunflower) and scaberrimus (Cheerful Sunflower).

The bog is now fragrant with Viola blanda (Sweet white violet), among it is one lovely large mass of V. conspersa (American Dog or Alpine Violet, now Viola labradorica). A little later, the adjacent meadow will be perfumed with my favorite Smilacina, the trifola (Threeleaf false lily of the valley). We have quantities, too, of the other smilacinas and the closely related Maianthemum.

Introduced orchids thrive well in the garden. Among indigenous species we have Orchis spectabilis (Showy orchid, now Galearis spectabilis (L.) Raf.), Habenaria hyperborea (Leafy Green Orchis, now Platanthera huronensis Nutt.), Corallorhiza trifida (Yellow Coralroot), Liparis lillifolia (Large Twayblade), Aplectrum hyemale (Adam & Eve), Pogonia ophioglossoides (Rose Pogonia, now Calopogon pulchellus (Grasspink)). Spiranthes cernua (Nodding Ladies Tresses), besides the already mentioned Showy lady's-slipper.