The Cleanest Line – Patagonia Blog

If you like the outdoor gear gurus at Patagonia as much as I do, you’re going to dig their new blog.

Check out “The Cleanest Line,” which, according to their front page, is a ‘Weblog for the employees, friends and customers of the outdoor clothing company Patagonia.’

At The Cleanest Line you’ll find news and information about current environmental issues, products and gear, and outdoor activities across the rainbow. Check it out, and let us know what you think!

PS - Just had to give you another picture of that beautiful Star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) in bloom!

PPS - I'm updating some of last spring's posts with tags (labels), so those of you that use readers will see some of those push through - I hope you don't mind.

And for those of you who noticed that pesky Garlic mustard (Xris), I'll be sharing more later in the season about some of the invasive species that positively love my yard.

Le Printemps est Arrivé!

Spring has definitely arrived, but I smell snow in the air this morning!

Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve

Today I visited the Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve in New Hope, PA for an opportunity to enjoy more of the autumn’s colors. I learned a lot during my visit, and of course, I took a load of pictures… more to follow this week!

Autumn Afternoon

The autumn is getting ahead of me. So many beautiful trees turning their leaves combined with my recent excursions have left me with a serious arboreal backlog (no pun intended). I am not want for material in our tree blogging!

For now, how about a little peek at things in my neck of the woods from this afternoon?

The top image is our Yellow Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) of the family Magnoliaceae. Also called the Tulip Poplar and the Tuliptree, this tree calls out during any season, and demands to be noticed. It grows big, fast, and beautiful.

Our second image is the sassafras, of course! Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) of the family Lauraceae, is among my favorites here on the East Coast. I love how the colors are as variable as the leaf-lobes.

I just can’t decide what I want to share next! Any requests?

Yellow Poplar Tree in Bloom

Last month we explored the Yellow Poplar tree, also known as the tulip tree. Laura tipped us off to the flowers, which are this tree’s namesake! While I eagerly awaited the blossoms on the local trees, they managed to open and wither before I could take a picture to show their true elegance. The title of my blossom image should be “spent.”

On a more fruitful note, I now can identify several other yellow poplars in the forest around the swamps and springs, where a few enormous trees have had me wondering at their identity ever since last winter. Which reminds me: I should get back in there some time soon so you can see an update of the woods in leaf!

If you want to see some really nice images of the yellow poplar flowers in full-glory, you can check out the gorgeous tulip tree images posted at Turning Toward the Light. The artist got super lucky with some shots of a local tree, and offers you some great information too!

Yellow Poplar

Our first glimpse of the yellow poplar at Arboreality came on Arbor Day, April 28, 2006. The yellow poplar seen today is one of many unique tree species growing around the farm which I have been eager to share with you.

Something about those big, buttery green leaves brings a smile to my face! While this is the only yellow poplar that I have found on the farm thus far, there are many others in the surrounding area.

According to my reading, the yellow poplar is also called the “tulip tree” owing to the shape of those gorgeous leaves. [However, "tulip tree" is also a common name given to the saucer magnolias.]

Star Magnolia Tree

Another beauty here at the farm is a young star magnolia tree, Magnolia stellata. I’ve never seen one before now, but I am already in love! It smells so sweet and heavenly, and I love its surprise – I thought this was some strange sort of pussy willow when the buds first began to swell. Today it is in full bloom, and most certainly a magnolia!

I first fell in love with magnolias as KAD’s birth tree is the saucer magnolia. Artist Gil Rondan has recently posted a beautiful image of a saucer magnolia in full bloom at his photography blog Native Eye. With all the warm weather around here, there are many more tree blossoms in our near future!

Happy Vernal Equinox!

Greetings everyone, and a happy spring to you! This morning I have snow flurries falling outside my window... but with the daffodils continuing to bloom, I know that springtime has truly arrived. Have a wonderful day!

PS - For all my southern-hemisphere Arborealists, a Happy Autumnal Equinox to you! Autumn is my favorite season, and I hope that you all enjoy yours! Whatever the season, today marks a great celestial turning point.