An Old Cranberry Bog and Fall Wildflowers
Hi,
Lest you forget, here's a quick reminder that you can still help out the folks who suffered through the California wildfires.
Onward!
Today, let's take a look at the old stomping grounds...
All the photos were taken at the 60 acre Historic Bank Street Bogs Conservation Area. Years ago, these were all working bogs, though the cost of growing cranberries has become so prohibitive (and the value of property on Cape Cod has become so enticing) that these bogs have been left to resort back to their natural state. Thankfully, the bogs themselves are for the most part considered wetlands, and hence protected from development. The land around them though is prime development property. Deep sigh...
Maybe you can help me out here... The wife has been taking a bunch of wildflower photos from the bogs. Have I got the names right?
This first photo is that of a group of little purple asters, (Callistephus chinensis?). This is a pleasant little fellow common in fall. These plants are also popular in butterfly gardens.
Next we have the broadleaf cattail, (Typha latifolia L.). I'm pretty sure I know this guy... As kids we had "wars" and used the brown cattail fruiting spikes as club heads. In retrospect that wasn't such a bright idea in that the resulting puffs of the white "down" from these weeds can cause severe skin reactions. Still pretty though...
What next? Perhaps the lowly knapweed... (Is this a purple? Spotted? Diffuse?) By chance, could a reader help me out here?
No problem identifying the next shot... I jumped/fell/was pushed into this little stream countless times. (And that thing is muddy in the absolute extreme!)
Finally, a nice parting shot. When I was much younger, almost all of my summer and weekend days ended like this...
Sources used for this post include:
See you by the bogs,
CapeCodAlan
Lest you forget, here's a quick reminder that you can still help out the folks who suffered through the California wildfires.
Onward!
Today, let's take a look at the old stomping grounds...
All the photos were taken at the 60 acre Historic Bank Street Bogs Conservation Area. Years ago, these were all working bogs, though the cost of growing cranberries has become so prohibitive (and the value of property on Cape Cod has become so enticing) that these bogs have been left to resort back to their natural state. Thankfully, the bogs themselves are for the most part considered wetlands, and hence protected from development. The land around them though is prime development property. Deep sigh...
Maybe you can help me out here... The wife has been taking a bunch of wildflower photos from the bogs. Have I got the names right?
This first photo is that of a group of little purple asters, (Callistephus chinensis?). This is a pleasant little fellow common in fall. These plants are also popular in butterfly gardens.
Next we have the broadleaf cattail, (Typha latifolia L.). I'm pretty sure I know this guy... As kids we had "wars" and used the brown cattail fruiting spikes as club heads. In retrospect that wasn't such a bright idea in that the resulting puffs of the white "down" from these weeds can cause severe skin reactions. Still pretty though...
What next? Perhaps the lowly knapweed... (Is this a purple? Spotted? Diffuse?) By chance, could a reader help me out here?
No problem identifying the next shot... I jumped/fell/was pushed into this little stream countless times. (And that thing is muddy in the absolute extreme!)
Finally, a nice parting shot. When I was much younger, almost all of my summer and weekend days ended like this...
Sources used for this post include:
- Bank Street Bogs Conservation Area
- About.com:Birding/Wild Birds
- Flower Essence Society
- About Garden Plants
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower center
See you by the bogs,
CapeCodAlan