Flattered!

I'm SO excited! I found 2 new plant species growing in my cove that hadn't been there before. How lucky is that! Both are natives (of course!). I feel incredibly flattered by this 'progress,' since in my mind, it means I'm providing good conditions and habitat for them. I tell myself that my cleanly weeded and maintained shore have made it possible for these good plants to find a foothold. There's nothing like self-praise!

The American Bur-reed is new to me, and I had to use my field guides to help me identify it. It's known to be eaten by muskrats, and wildfowl, and is great for native pollinators, too. Plus .... it's an important conservation species because it can help reduce the amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus in lake bodies. And, it's quite beautiful - what's not to love? 

The other plant, the Bayonet Rush, is known to me from other parts of our lake, but this is the first time I've seen it in my cove. There are only 2 stems standing right now, but I'm hoping it will become a bigger clump over time. It provides great shelter and protection for wildlife in shallow areas. It's often overlooked as just another grass, but the color gradation on the stems are quite startling in the Fall, as you can see from the pic below: