Got poured on but it was worth it

Yarra River at sunset

31-JUL-2023

Melbourne, Vic

nature!

Sturt's desert pea

circa 1930

Margaret Preston

I have to share a little of my burgeoning cottagecore life (that doesn't include nªzi ideals, fuck white supremacy). Last weekend I was doing some work in the yard and finally got a chance to pull out my plant ID app. I took a photo of this, frankly, angry looking weed that proliferates my green spaces. I like weeds and wildflowers. They tell me a LOT about the land, but I'm just not familiar with the flora here. Yet. It is called Carolina Horsenettle. I only looked it up when I did because I saw the fruit on a plant my partner stepped on. I recognized the fruit from that family. It is a nightshade, a deadly one. *surprised Pikachu face* For half of my life now, 20+ years, I have longed to find a nightshade in the wild. Now, I have so, so many.

More importantly, though, this solves another problem. Tomato worms. As I was cooing over the large patch of the nightshade in the middle of my yard, my partner points out 'one of those worms'. We found a big monchy boi monching on the leaves of one of them. For those who may not know, tomatoes are also a nightshade.

This means I can transfer the monchy bois from my veggies to a natural food source instead of having to kill them or spray my plants with some poison or another (not that I'm opposed).

As a lifelong gardner, I've learned that if I provide adequate food for the fauna, they leave my food alone. If I can find a natural source, we're both better off. I don't have a photo of a happy monchy boi, but please feast your eyes on my angry plant.

a monarch friend!

- aster alpinus -

I love familiarizing myself with the local wildlife! This was on a hike through Mount Diablo State Park in the East Bay Area of California, 03/27/23. Photo editing is kept to a minimum: except for cropping and straightening, I haven't adjusted these at all.

Some wild wisteria 🌹🌸💐🌺🌷

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Trailing daisies (Sphagneticola trilobata)

June 2022

St. Petersburg, FL

Wild Honeysuckle

Native floras by hirokolele on IG

Native flowers of Australia

1957

Margaret Preston

500 likes!

a painted lady butterfly sipping on a new england aster :)

my photos!

Dicksonia antarctica

20-JAN-2023

Melbourne, Vic