Post number 500!

Presenting GYBO post number 500! In celebration, here are my top 10 favorite photos. Probably all of them were posted sometime earlier. Thanks to all who visit and comment, and thanks to all who have posted here. Special thanks to Ben and Scott for setting up this group blog.

Interrupted Fern, Porter County, Indiana

Bloodroot, LaPorte County, Indiana

Blue-Eyed Mary, LaPorte County, Indiana

Cleft Phlox, Lake County, Indiana

Bluehearts, Lake County, Indiana

Prairie Brome, Lake County, Indiana

Nieuwland's Blazing Star, Lake County, Indiana

Yellow Lady's Slipper, Lake County, Indiana

Sullivant's Milkweed, Lake County, Indiana

Wild Columbine, Marshall County, Indiana

Back To The City Of The Century

Like a Salmon returning to it's birthplace, I spent part of the day today in a city that I love (no kidding) - the city where I was born - Gary, Indiana. My visit did not include spawning, however.

Extremely good native plants abound there, as Scott so eloquently pointed out. In a low, sandy meadow I found the following good things, among many others. The first, Blue Hearts, is noteworthy for being the plant that brought together two botanical legends, Floyd Swink and Julian Steyermark. You can read about them here and here.

Buchnera americana (Blue Hearts)

Bromus kalmii (Prairie Brome)

Lilium philadelphicum (Prairie Wood Lily)

Lilium philadelphicum (Prairie Wood Lily) and Green Metallic Bee