Friday Nature Blogging: Bee Balm Edition

So, that's Bee Balm. As I mentioned earlier, we did some planting several weeks ago in my effort to attract hummingbirds. Until the Bee Balm bloomed this week, I had no idea what it looked like.

This frustrates a friend of mine to no end. Not just that I would plant something that I had no idea what it looked like but that I mostly don't have a clue about the names (common let alone genus/species) of anything I plant. The point of the most recent plantings, I explain, was to attract hummingbirds - if I like them as well that's a bonus but certainly not a necessity.

Not knowing what you've planted does have the drawback that if you move (across the country) and wish to duplicate a 'planting' you particularly enjoyed - you're screwed. This is where Mr. CJ generally comes in handy but there's still a 'groundcover' I loved that I've been unable to find -and he can't remember (he's 50 now you know) what it was.

I've decided that this trait (unconcern for what a plant is/is called) must be autosomal dominant. While Mr. CJ would frequently stop on our hikes to explain what a particlar tree or plant was, he would be treated to a uniform chorus of yes, it's beautiful ... it's a tree. No botanists in this family.