In reading into japanese honeysuckle as an invasive species, I also found that it has culinary and medicinal uses. To try it out, I followed the advice from this article. I gathered fresh blossoms (about a cup), brought them to a boil in two cups of water, simmered down to one cup, decanted the liquid, and added a cup of sugar. It does have a pretty color and an interesting taste. I tried another batch with local honey, and the honey taste really overpowers the honeysuckle. However, since there are potential medicinal uses, the plant stays! I also read that the leaves are edible parboiled, and you can make baskets from the vines. It stays.

The honeysuckle is in bloom again, and again I think wistfully that I can only share a picture and not the heady scent. Although if I could, it would probably knock your socks off. The source of the heavy fragrance is the Japanese honeysuckle that the previous owners planted. Turns out it is an invasive species. We have planted native yellow and red honeysuckle, which are also doing well, but not nearly as well as the japanese variety. I can see why it is a problem: it is hard to cut down something so pretty and fragrant. Ours is climbing on a metal arbor, so not strangling trees or brush, but I do need to keep an eye on the runners.

The prodigy pea plant produced! I pulled five perfect pea pods off the plant.

They aren’t lilies, but we have some beautiful white irises blooming this weekend! My Dad gave me these two years ago and I planted them right away. This is the first year they’ve bloomed, which he says is typical for irises. They are pretty! And there is a promise of more!