It's Happening in the Shade

My main garden activity (beside the sweeping/mowing/blowing of oak fuzzies) has been the pulling/snipping of the uninvited little Oak & Possumhaw seedlings that are popping up all over my beds.  The Oaks (both from squirrel-buried acorns & small root sprouts) is an annual battle, but this winter's wetness prompted a greater than usual number of Possumhaw to erupt from fallen red berries.

The Soap Aloe (Aloe maculata) bloom stalk is going strong.  It has numerous branches, each tipped with a cluster of red-orange flowers.

The Macho Mocha Manfreda, freckled darkly on the leaves that get more sunshine, is joined by a swath of blooming Ajuga (Ajuga reptans).

The Autumn Ferns (Dryopteris erythrosora) are erupting in fiddleheads, some already unfurling their crimson leaves that will eventually change to their summer green.

The yellow Mahonia (Mahonia aquifolium) blossoms faded long ago, but are being replaced by the berries that slowly change from light green to purplish-blue (and then get eaten by Mockingbirds).

The Marilyn's Choice Abutilon (new this year) continues to put on a show with several red and yellow blossoms.

The Strawberry Begonias (Saxifraga stolonifera) have started sending up their small flower stalks with a few of the tiny white blossoms opening.