#swamp hibiscus

[icepixie]

Some garden photos from the end of summer. We're finally starting on fall here--by which I mean "can go outside and not instantly drown in sweat," none of this sweaters and boots nonsense; that's Thanksgiving for us at best--and largely it's zinnias and vincas, the only ones who can make it through the heat.

My tulip bulbs are chilling in the fridge; new ones this year, since exactly three came back this spring from the 50-odd I planted. Nashville just doesn't get cold enough for long enough to make them grow again. I would have to dig them up and refrigerate them again, which, since we are also in a region where it gets juuust cold enough that I have to dig up my gladiolas for the winter, I'm not doing. Bulbs were not made for the south. Sigh.

On the bright side, about half of what's blooming in my garden now self-seeded from previous years, including portulaca, celosia, cleomes, vincas, and zinnias. If I wanted to, with some judicious transplanting I could probably get away with buying no new plants for a year and still have a full garden (but I won't, because plaaaaaaants).

My self-seeding beauties!

This one makes me think of the zinnia as [insert female superstar here] and the portulaca as her backup singers.

This clematis didn't do a lot in the spring, but it's making up for it now.

#garden #clematis #swamp hibiscus #zinnia #rose #vinca #evolvulus #celosia #marigold #we interrupt your 24/7 Ghosts (BBC) blog with flowers

[faguscarolinensis]

Hibiscus laevis / Swamp Rosemallow at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC

#Hibiscus #Swamp Rosemallow #rose mallow #Eastern rosemallow #Native plants #Native flowers #Flowers #Nature photography #Sarah P. Duke Gardens #Duke Gardens #Duke University #Durham #Durham NC #North Carolina #Edible plants #Edible flowers #malvaceae #Hibiscus laevis #Halberd-leaf Rosemallow

[vandaliatraveler]

I stopped by the reservoir at White Park yesterday to photograph the rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos), sometimes referred to as swamp rose-mallow, which is now at peak bloom. This is a healthy and vigorous wetlands community visited by great blue and little green herons, kingfishers, a variety of ducks, and the occasional osprey - all the more remarkable because it’s within walking distance of downtown Morgantown. Anyway, the rose mallow was fabulously beautiful in its various shades of crimson red, pink, and white, and the hollow Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium fistulosum) was equally impressive, presiding over its wetlands kingdom with the massive lavender crowns of true kings.

From top: rose mallow, whose flowers display high variability in color and petal sizes/orientations (although some specimens may be hybrid escapees, this plant nonetheless possesses some wild genetic impulses); wild mint (Mentha arvensis), a cosmopolitan mint with a strong flavor and an affinity for wetlands; Allegheny monkeyflower (Mimulus ringens), a whimsical perennial that forms dense stands in swamps and along streambanks; seedbox (Ludwigia alternifolia), so named because of the four-sided shape of its seed capsules; and without further adieu, a true king bowed under the weight of its elegant crown.

#appalachia #vandalia #west virginia #summer #flora #wildflowers #wetlands #white park #morgantown #hibiscus moscheutos #rose mallow #swamp rose-mallow #mentha arvensis #wild mint #mimulus ringens #allegheny monkeyflower #ludwigia alternifolia #seedbox #rattlebox #eutrochium fistulosum #hollow joe pye weed

[pagan-stitches]

A little early morning foraging before work.

#foraging #Arkansas River Valley #swamp #butternuts #white walnuts #American beauty berry #American persimmons #rose mallow #hibiscus

[clairity-org]

Lyndale Park Rose Garden, Minneapolis 9/17/23 by Sharon Mollerus

#Lyndale Park Rose Garden #Minneapolis #flowers #swamp rose mallow #hibiscus #Minnesota #MN #flickr

[fivetrench]

Seven year improvement! The old version is an OC named Hibiscus, I heavily based him off of Blue’s design so he’s not that original lol

The new version is Mallow, named after the swamp rose mallow, which is a species of hibiscus! He cultivates butterfly gardens for a living :3

I’ll definitely draw Mallow again, I think he’s a sweetie

#my art #artists on tumblr #artblr #digital artist #digital art #artwork #oc art #oc artist #oc artwork #wof oc #wof oc art #wof ocs #original charater art #original character #original art #wings of fire silkwing #wof silkwing #silkwing #silkwing oc #redraw #old art #art improvement

[sunnysideprincess]

Tony Stark was a wizard well known to attract trouble with the divine. First it was Loki, who had been enraged that a mere mortal couldn't be enchanted by him. Then it was Thor when Tony cursed his brother to erupt in painful boils if he dared to step on Earth. After, it was Steven drenched head to toe in swamp water—which was very reasonable on Tony's part because the flame keeper's tantrum was hurting his largest batch of hibiscus. Though he was willing to admit there had been a slight misunderstanding due to Natasha and Fury's mingled cunning. There was also Tiberus Stone, a minor deity of an abandoned mountain, who sought Tony's land and thought the best way to do it was to flood the lower plains and destroy an entire settlement. The less it was said about how many mortals and immortals he had pissed off was better. Though the incident did gain Tony his Rhodeybear, a furious looking cloud Elf and it did mellow Steven, who now went by Steve of all names.

Coming to the present, there was a wolf blocking his way. Its fur gleaming silver like the frost and eyes glittering greys and blues like a budding storm. Tony had been warned about it. Once a hell demon going by the name of Winter Soldier, now he was seated at the council of gods as the White Wolf.

Not currently of course. Not when he was prowling around Tony in a way that wasn't unlike a predator circling a prey. A slightly difficult situation, considering Tony was all out of mana after destroying the Hydra beast lurking near a demigod settlement and his spare arc was in the carriage with little miss Wanda. He was bleeding and exhausted, hungry and stumbling.

He was a great wizard. The best. But he was also a mortal in dire need of the comforts of his home.

So he was caught unaware when a drop of his blood touched the ground, when the wolf took a deep breath and lunged, disappearing into a blur. And Tony, who was too busy in trying keep his body upright, yelped when his world tilted and he ended up facing the maw of the beast.

"Alright, that's it," he growled, pulling his only faintly glowing arc out of his pocket. "Get off, frost fleabag, before I push you—hheeek!"

He would never admit it, not even under the threat of drowning, that he squeaked like a squirrel when he felt the icy tip of the wolf's nose diving into the crook of his neck. He would also never tell of how the soft exhale which cast ice crystals over his skin made his cheeks heat in a way no mortal or immortal had ever known to or how he shivered when he felt the scrape of tongue over his skin.

"Bucky, no!"

The wolf jumped back, its teeth bared and eyes slanted in annoyance. Tony was quick to scramble up and plant his back against the nearest stump of tree, wondering why in the world was Steve marching down towards the wolf like it was a runaway dog and why in the world was the White Wolf sniffing and licking Tony.

"What in the seven heavens are you doing?"

The wolf huffed out a challenging breath then growled at the god, before tilting its head towards Tony.

"Absolutely not! No," Steve growled, erupting in his usual bright blue fames. "You know it is forbidden."

"What is," Tony voiced out loud, gathering the attention of the two divines. A flicker of annoyance washed over him, reminding him just why Gods were the most terrible of all immortal brethren. They were brutish, vicious and above all, thought they were entitled to every man's respect. "I wish to know exactly why your friend—is he not—decided to jump a weary travelling wizard?" He gave himself pause to fix his posture, then added a snide "your ever-unfrozen highness" for good measure.

The wolf huffed out a —laugh? It cast a smug look towards Steven then licked its teeth in a slow teasing reminder of what it had tasted on Tony.

Tony, like any respectable wizard, ignored the heat and tingles rising up his spine and crossed his arms.

"Well?"

"He's Bucky."

"Oh my—is he your pet? How very scandalous, your lordship! Does the heaven know about it? Does my godmother know about it? Who, may I remind you, you have pledged your eternally beating heart to."

"Tony," Steve sighed, his flames flickering back to a more manageable size. "No. He's not—He is my friend. And he, uh..."

The wolf snorted and much to Tony's everlasting surprise, Steve's flames came back roaring.

"Shift back to your humane form then, I'm not willing to be your translator for the night!"

"What are you—"

The place where the wolf was standing erupted in a flurry of snow and wind. And Tony watched, fascinated and already itching to try and create a spell which could mimic the flare of it all, as the air cleared.

The wolf was gone, and instead there was a man, almost as tall as Steven. His hair belowed with the wind, reaching past his chin in waves that would make the travelling Sphinx jealous. His left arm, bless Tony's luck, was completely encased in ice and carrying a scythe made of Wakandan moon stone. A greedy part of Tony wondered if he could somehow detach it from the god and keep it for himself, which was immediately smothered by the memory of his mama chastising him for being spoiled.

As if sensing his appreciation, the wolf-god-man bared his teeth-his fangs into a roguish smile and spoke with a deep rumble which clouded the air with a sudden chill.

"I am here to declare wizard Anthony Edward Stark as my beloved consort. And I wish for him to be seated with me in the highest council of gods."

So there you have it.

Tony Stark was a wizard well known to attract trouble with the divine. But this just might be one of a kind.

#winteriron #alternate universe #au: supernatural/fantasy #fantasy au #tony stark #bucky barnes #wizard tony #god bucky #deb writes in between #james bucky barnes #buckytony #mcu #ficlet #white wolf bucky #wanda maximoff #steve rogers #october treats

[breelandwalker]

Secular Celebrations - Midsummer

After Beltane comes Midsummer, which some also call Litha, mid to late June. I call it “probably already too hot to go outside.” I’m not exactly a summertime person to begin with and I live in Virginia, in the middle of a swamp. So the rest of you can enjoy Midsummer. I’m going to be spending it indoors where the air conditioning is.

Midsummer is the summer solstice, the middle of the growing season, the highest point of high summer. It’s a time to celebrate the hard work we’ve done, take a bit of ease while the weather is pleasant, and have a good romp before we have to start bringing in the harvests in August. If you work with solar magic or the Fair Folk, this is your holiday. Both of these themes run deep and strong through Midsummer, along with the urge to get outside and revel in the beauty of nature at peak flourish.

So enjoy Midsummer first and foremost by getting outside...if you can. If it’s too damn hot, yanno, be realistic. But at least make an effort if you enjoy the hotter weather and it’s not dangerous to be out. Go to your favorite park, maybe go to the beach, go hiking, go to a pick-your-own fruit farm, have a picnic, attend a fair or a carnival, do some stargazing. All this assumes a lot about public safety since we’re still living in the COVID era, so use your good judgement. If it’s not safe to be around crowds, try to focus on solo activities or things you can do in the safety of your home or your backyard.

This is another good time for herb-picking. If you have a garden, your plants should be producing by this point, and you can start pruning your plants and drying those trimmings for use in your craft. This is actually my favorite part of the summer. I love putting up those bundles of plants and flowers to dry, I love the look of them in my home, and I love the satisfaction of putting the dried material into jars for storage. And hey, if you’re not growing anything, you can still enjoy this by picking up fresh herbs from the supermarket or the local garden store and drying them.

You can also go herb gathering like I mentioned for Beltane, since different plants will be in season. Again, always observe permission and best practices if you’re going to do this. And always make sure you label your bundles and your jars for easy identification.

On a practical note, if you’re going to be doing things outside for Midsummer, always make sure you wear sunscreen and adequate clothing to avoid too much UV exposure, including a face covering. Remember to hydrate properly throughout the day, be careful with your alcohol intake, and if you start to feel tired or woozy, or if you stop sweating, get out of the sun IMMEDIATELY. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are no joke, witches. Take care of yourselves out there.

And speaking of herbs and ways of keeping cool, one of the things I really enjoy doing in the summertime is making magical iced teas. I know some of my overseas listeners might be blinking in confusion right about now, so if you’ve never heard of this, let me enlighten you. In the US, particularly in the South, we’re very fond of iced tea. Now, that doesn’t mean cold tea, it’s tea that’s been sweetened and chilled, and it’s usually served over ice with lemon or mint leaves, depending on the recipe. This is a fun and easy herbal potion that anyone can make. You just need a pitcher of hot water, some herbal tea bags, some sugar or honey, and whatever flavorings you want to add.

Using several teabags or a big pouch of looseleaf tea, mix up a batch of tea that’s a little stronger than you’d usually make for a hot cuppa. Stir in sugar or honey until it’s as sweet as you like it - we usually go a step or two sweeter than you’d think. Then add whatever flavorings you like. And you can use just about anything for this. I’m partial to a nice blend of chamomile and peppermint with a good dollop of honey, or white tea with jasmine, or spearmint and elderflower, or hibiscus and raspberry. Lavender and lemon is another popular recipe, if you can get your hands on culinary lavender. (And yes, there IS a difference between lavender grown for the kitchen and lavender grown for aromatherapy purposes, so shop carefully.) Feel free to make drinks that correspond to magical purposes, too. Health, wealth, happiness, whatever you like. Sweet iced potions? Yes please!

This can be stretched to alcoholic drinks too, if you’re partial. I mean, what are we even doing with our craft if we’re not stirring spells into sangria or joining the midnight margarita club, right? My husband makes a delightful little cocktail he calls a Gardener’s Tonic - basically a gin and tonic with muddled sweet basil and lime juice and a slice of cucumber. Just make sure that when you’re enjoying your alcoholic alchemy, you’re doing so responsibly.

So once you’ve got your drink of choice and you’ve had a chance to relax, look to your homestead. Tend that garden, like I mentioned before. Attend to any pest problems you might be having, or any home repairs that might need doing. Try not to put things off. Once autumn arrives, you may find that you’re too busy. Reorganize your witchy supplies. If you’ve got new material or new tools coming in, try to declutter and get rid of anything that’s gone stale or sour, or anything that’s used up. Check your jars for signs of mold and give your accoutrements a good cleaning.

If you feel that kitchen witch itch, there’s a cream for that….it’s in the fridge next to the milk. (I apologize for NOTHING.) You can check on the beverages you started back around Beltane, or start a batch if you didn’t do one in the spring. You can start a sourdough, since that seems to be all the rage right now, or make preserves and jams with those early fruits and berries. Make food or homemade sweet with local produce and local honey. Oh and bless the bees and the pollinators while you’re at it! Bless their little hearts, they bring so much sweetness to the world, they deserve thanks for their hard work.

Midsummer is a big holiday for picnics, so if you can have one, definitely do it, even if it’s just on your back porch. If you happen to have a fenced yard and a tent to work with, maybe try an overnight campout just for fun. My dad used to do this all the time when my brother and I were kids. We’d set up a tent in the backyard, he’d drag out a TV and VCR on extension cords, and we’d stay up half the night watching movies and eating junk food. Hey, we were suburban kids, my dad’s idea of “roughing it” was having no remote for the TV. It was super fun, and if you can manage something like this, I definitely recommend it to witches with little ones. Lot of good memories there, if they’re inclined to such things.

Of course, summer isn’t all clear skies and sunshine. Sometimes it rains. But heck, that can be just as much fun. Apart from the obvious option of gathering the rainwater for magical purposes, have you ever gone out in the rain on purpose? When it’s warm out and the rain is coming down in nice fat drops and you’re wearing stuff that can stand a little soaking, few things are more fun than running around and getting absolutely drenched. I’ve got a few fond memories of walking in the woods during rainstorms with my bestie from middle school. There’s a saying that goes, “Life isn’t about avoiding the storms, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” If there’s not a danger of lightning, I definitely recommend giving it a try. It’s really kind of exhilarating.

Midsummer is the longest day of the year. It’s the day when we see the most light, the earliest sunrise, the latest sunset. Meditate on how you can bring more light and positivity into your life, and how you can have a positive impact on the lives of others, on your community, and the world in general. Think about your productivity, your projects, your path to personal growth. How are things going? Is there anything that feels stuck that needs to be addressed? Where can you modify your outlook to something more optimistic, and where do you maybe need to take off the rose-colored glasses and be more of a realist? All things to contemplate while you’re sipping that magical iced tea potion.

Other Posts In This Series:

Imbolc

Spring Equinox

Beltane

Midsummer

Lughnasadh

Autumn Equinox

Samhain

Yule

If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop.

The Hex Positive podcast is a proud member of the Nerd and Tie Podcast Network.😊

#witchcraft #witchblr #wicca #wheel of the year #holidays #summer solstice #midsummer #litha #baby witch #secular celebrations #Hex Positive #Midsummer is June 20-22 - you haven't missed it!

[cedar-glade]

Along the Little Miami Inbetween hamilton and clermont co is a section that maintains conglomerate mudstone layer and a lot of mud banks close enough to mudflats that you still get some classic mudflat species and riparian gravel bar species.

The first is the winged monkey flower(Mimulus alatus) , known for winged squared of stems, though since Ohio gets both, if you need to collect seeds for bioswale forbes and want to differentiate them when the stem is brown, the peduncle, aka main stem that holds/bares a flower or a fruit attached to the stem, is almost sessile or near sessile, aka still there but close to not existing where as Allegheny is elongate.

a gravel bar species requiring full sun is Hibiscus moscheutos or the swamp rose mallow, it's about as common as our other native Hibiscus laevis or the halberd leafed mallow; this species pictured has more common smaller colonies with pink flowers on average with what most assume as a non deeply lobed leaf differing from a halberd lobed white flower with taller plants on average and larger colonies.

Wouldn't be a good gravel bar without falls redest sedum, Ditch stone crop! or is it a sedum really???, while we used to assume based on morphological features it is no longer placed in the genera Sedum and is Penthorum sedoides a non succulent water loving species that actually has found it's self as a member of the saxifrage order. It is one of two species that I know of in the genera, and is associated with it's own family as of now. It is also the only member of the genus within the United States. Side note: As a member or the saxifrage order I don't even know if this species utilizes CAM to be honest and it wouldnt benefit it if you think about it.

Lindernia dubia

false pimpernel

Associated with the mudflats, it's funny because people call this and many others the mudflat ephemerals because they are brief and seasonal inbetween flood stages. These always look like a monkey flower at first glance before you know the species.

Eclipta prostrata

Mudflat false daisy, a riparian and swale species but also very common on mudflats.

Persicaria pensylvanica or pensylvania smart weed, is a robust flowering species that forms semi erect inflorescence that are peppered pink and white. and easy to differentiate when you look at a non frimbrate connected ocrea that sheathes both stem and petiole. you can see invasive Persicaria longiseta or oriental bristled ladies thumb with frimbrate ocrea in background :( spicy flowers on our natives less spicy on the non natives.

#mimulus #mimulus alatus #ringens #botany #ohio #mudflats #riparian #hibiscus moscheutos #hibiscus laevis #hibiscus #lindernia dubia #lindernia #mudflat #ephemeral #penthorum #penthorum sedoides #eclipta prostrata #Persicaria pensylvanica

[fluffalpenguin]

Better late than never right (looks directly at the camera)

⬅[Prev] Day 7: Free Day

@ygoc-week Day 7.2: The F in Free Day stands for Flower Language (Final)

i'm very normal about flowers and symbolism okay

Originally I picked the Hibiscus for Fuschia because it has a loud appearance just like him, but then I found out it represents fame, glory and riches?? Perfect for mr get that bread (he also likes the edible kind)

also apparently you can use it to denote if you're married or not in Hawaii well he sure is a househusband thumbs up emoji

With their dignified and noble appearance, I immediately looked towards white Chrysanthemums for Viol! They require lots of water, and this boy can pack so much ocean-related imagery

White chrysanthemums in particular also symbolise mourning and are used in many parts of the world at funerals, and he's had to deal with two major losses in his life (one before and one during the war).

According to this one Japanese blog I found, the name (kiku) comes from the word for dead end because it's the "last flower to bloom in the year" and that's very funny so apt to me because it symbolises the fate of those from the Fusion Dimension that crossed his path during the war (except for one little guy)

Jackie was another character where I assigned a flower to her out of vibes and then when I checked its symbolism it was a match made in heaven yippee

Camellias are bold, beautiful, and being winter bloomers, tough and resilient. As an orphan that climbed her way up the social ladder in the Synchro Dimension through years of shady side-jobs, that alone would have cinched the assignation, but on top of that, camellias also represent eternal love and long-lasting devotion as the petals and calyx fall together when the flower withers.

Jackie is a very social creature, and here, she's holding (slowly letting go of) yellow camellias, which represent friendship, highlighting what's most important to her...

The Ghost Orchid has no cool symbolism or flower language associated with it (yet, anyway) but it has plenty of characteristics to derive meaning from!

Inhabiting swamps and forests and blooming once a year or sometimes even none at all, it's an extremely rare specimen.

It's largely leafless, and relies on its roots rather than photosynthesis for nutrients. Likewise, instead of relying on others like how plants require sunlight, Fleur sets up her spider web throughout the Synchro Dimension to accomplish her goals.

Also, both she and the plant have the same little scarf!! (Another happy coincidence)

Bonus lore!! (since its related) Jackie also has a habit of assigning flowers and animals to all the women she meet (Viol is the odd exception) and keeps track of them in a little notebook she carries around (and me with a handy dandy excel sheet).

#yugioh oc week 23 #pasu makes ocs #surprise bonus jackie lore #this is like 3 days late sorry

[missterious-figure]

Eclipse, what's your favorite flower?

"Don't really care for flowers, but I like the Scarlet Swamp Hibiscus. The red is eerily familiar~"

#dca au #swamp things au #answered #fnaf eclipse

[faguscarolinensis]

Hibiscus moscheutos / Swamp Rosemallow at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC

#Hibiscus moscheutos #Hibiscus #Swamp rosemallow #Swamp mallow #Rose mallow #malvaceae #Native plants #Native flowers #nature photography #photographers on tumblr #Sarah P. Duke Gardens #Duke Gardens #Duke University #Durham #Durham NC #North Carolina

[sakurabreeze]

Olivia Mae Pendergast (American, born 1970)

Boy with Yellow Swamp Hibiscus, 2023

[clovercrafted]

“Ideas for Minecraft mods even though I have no idea how to make mods “

🌸 new biomes, including caves, nether and end biomes. Yes there’s very comprehensive biome mods, yes I do want more.

🌺 seriously imagine; crystal caves where you have crystalline stalagmites and stalactites, higher chance of finding geodes (including new varieties of geode), fungal caves with new varieties of mushroom (imagine glowing mushroom light sources too, would probably only be found under mushroom islands), volcanic caves that are covered with magma blocks and naturally spawning basalt in the overworld, Ice Caves with Actual Icicles

🌼 for the love of god block parity. All stone types having their own bricks, not just certain ones, cut gold and iron, copper and gold bars and chains.

🌷 unique plants for all the biomes! Like I’ve mentioned this before but a couple flowers or plants for all the older biomes would be lovely. Hibiscus for jungles, bluebells in birch forests, other colours of roses and poppies and daisies, savannah should get a special type of grass, deserts getting flowering cactus, mangroves and swamps having water lilies. Little things that bring life to the world

🌻 speaking of life a couple varieties of older mobs! Muddy pigs, cows with a couple variations of pattern, a few varieties of wolves/doggos! If there’s over 1000 tropical fish variants then there should be a few for others. Also the losers of the mob votes (I can guarantee that that’s been done)

🪷 I’m a huge fan of all the little peaceable decorations, blease just keep adding more

#clover sprouts #minecraft #mineblr #I’m gonna like teach myself how to make models for this game and make some stuff but #fuck me if I know how to get it into the game

[clairity-org]

Lyndale Park Rose Garden, Minneapolis 9/17/23 by Sharon Mollerus

#Lyndale Park Rose Garden #Minneapolis #hibiscus #Swamp rose mallow #flowers #Minnesota #MN #flickr

[leebrontide]

Growing a tea garden?

Full disclosure, I once had an actual Camellia sinensis tree that I loved dearly and flowered for me and was such a joy. But I misunderstood some aspects of taking care of it, and after 2 years, I lost it, which was tragic. I've yet to find another one in an in-person shop near me, so I remain tea-less, technically.

BUT, last summer I found out that there's something called New Jersey Tea. Which, despite the English name, is native to a lot of northern North America, including my own area. And native planting is always a thrilling bonus for me.

Look at it! It's so pretty!

Perfect for a combo native prairie/English cottage garden vibe that's going to go well with all our fruit plants. Being native it's not fussy and I can mostly plant it and forget it, which is ideal. Plus it's a pollinator favorite.

There's a sort of mostly-dug-up garden along the back porch because the previous owners took some apparently massive rhubarbs with them. It's a sunny spot with some decent soil, so a good spot for a garden, and plus then you'd be hanging out with these nice, aromatic plants.

Supposedly, when it's fresh the leaves have an almost wintergreen taste, but when dried it tastes like a spiced black tea. It has no caffeine. It was also supposedly a huge favorite during the US revolution, when tea imports were difficult.

So, then I started thinking about what OTHER plants I can use for making tea that will grow in my frigid home climate.

Canadian Ginger

Just like now New Jersey Tea has no particular relation to Camelia, this is nothing to do with the tropical grown ginger, which is the ginger you probably think of. BUT, it has a deeper ginger taste.

Swamp Mallow Hibiscus

So, again, you think of Hibiscus as being tropical. I only thought to check because one of my neighbors has a bigass deep red hibiscus that's been flowering away every summer for years. Apparently it's some kind of hybrid situation that lets them grow here.

I thought this sort of coloration would look better with the kind of garden I've got going, since I don't want to look tropical.

I adore hibiscus tea. It's tangy, it's colorful. It's refreshing. but I'll be honest, I haven't been able to find any reviews of what the flavor of these hybrids is. If you happen to know, please pass on your knowledge to me.

Fireball Bee Balm

This may shock you, but bee balm is another very pollinator friendly plant. I'm looking to get the fireball type specifically because I like this crimson color. the more common colors are between lavender and hot pink, which are not so much my jam. Plus, it's another native plant to my area!

They have the added bonus of being on the short side, and bunnies don't really like them, so they can form a perimeter around my tea garden to protect the other plants. We have a serious lack of predators in my neighborhood and the rabbits are OUT OF CONTROL. Last winter they ate every one of my cherry shrubs and my entire raspberry bramble down to the ground at the old house. I don't know what we need to do to get some birds of prey over here but we could use them.

Bee balm flavor is a little mint, a little oregano, and a little bit citrus, so that's a natural for tea.

Rose Hips

Apparently you CAN look up which kinds of roses have the tastiest rosehips! Rose hips are the seed of the rose, are in the same botanical family as apples. These are a few of the tastier heirloom varieties I've located. I likely won't plant all three of them. My porch isn't that big and I want to leave a lot of room for the new jersey tea.

Rosehips are lightly floral and tart/citrusy and are a fantastic source of vitamin C. You can of course also eat the flowers, but I don't plan to. My grandma always wore tea-rose perfume and I don't really want to drink a tea that feels like drinking how gramma smelled.

The two lefthand roses are both tree roses (from the middle ages!!), the one on the right is much more low-growing. So I suspect how I end up arranging these will determine which we get.

Anise Hyssop

Proper anise (the flavor for licorice) also doesn't grow here, BUT, anise hyssop has a similar flavor from the mint family. Again, it's usually a purple or pink color, but I CAN find it in an apricot tone, which I love.

Dropmore Scarlet Honeysuckle

Native to IA, not MN but still in the general right biome and so pretty resilient here. I only found out in researching tea gardens that the flowers make for tasty, very sweet, lightly floral tea! I knew you could drink the nectar out of them but this was news to me. And, of course, they make everything around them smell amazing.

I have 16 feet to work with, so plenty of room for plants.

A few other plants that wont be in the garden proper are raspberries, whose leaves have a milder and easy to store version of the fruit flavor, and mint. Both of these though are tremendously prone to conquering any area around them, and so they need some extra containment. We don't really do year-round container gardening here because the roots freeze and kill almost anything. But, the boulevard between the front sidewalk and the street, under the big maple tree, is slated for mint seeding in the spring, and the side garden already has raspberries I'll tell you about on another day.

Chamomile, lavender and echinacea all grow here and are thought to make tasty and healthful tea but...I don't like the flavor of any of them, so they aren't invited.

If you have other plants to suggest, let me know!

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