I’ve carefully stepped through the slowly spreading Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) bordering the driveway several times in recent weeks, hoping to catch the seed pod of the woodland peony (Paeonia obovata) as it splits open to expose its colorful seeds. Somehow, I was distracted and didn’t check for a few days. Of course, I missed it, though some seeds remain (below).

In mid-spring, I caught the peony’s single flower a day early, then missed the fully opened bloom that quickly faded. Certainly, my schedule is not so busy that I should miss such significant events. I often stroll the garden a few times each day, though this small area is often walked past quickly on the way to pull crabgrass from the recently expanded front border.

Just beside the peony’s seeds are one of the few patches of autumn flowering Colchicums that have not been overwhelmed by neighbors. The flowers rise above the broad yellow leaves of ‘Banana Boat’ carex (Carex siderosticha ‘Banana Boat’) to make a slightly garish but short lived display in mid-September. The yellow-leafed sedge has slowly spread to fill its space with enough vigor that I’ve dug several small clumps to plant in the more shaded side garden.

Except for the few days of each year when the peony is an attraction, ‘Sun King’ aralia (Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’) is the primary attraction as I witness the varied pollinators visiting the satellite shaped flowers. Ants, wasps and tiny bees are are regulars.

A few divisions of tbe aralia transplanted to the side garden have been slow to gain size in deeper shade, though I see that one with increased sunlight following the loss of the Bigleaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) a year ago will soon flower.