This Morning Outside

by Diane Porter

August 16, 2009
At the edge of the woods near Birdwatching Dot Com
Fairfield, Iowa

Cup plants are the most prolific and robust I've ever seen this summer. There are great masses of them at woodland edges. They're too big and rangy for a refined garden, but just right for me.

Rainwater collects in cup plant's cup where the leaf grasps the stem. Birds drink there. I'm watching for seeds to collect so I can plant cup plants outside my kitchen window. In two years I hope to be offering a drink of water to goldfinches.