Symplocarpus foetidus.

The view from the Skunk Cabbage Bridge:

 

There really is a Skunk Cabbage Bridge in the UW Arboretum. It traverses the Skunk Cabbage Wetland. 

 

I took those pictures yesterday.

The Latin name for skunk cabbage is Symplocarpus foetidus: 

Eastern skunk cabbage is notable for its ability to generate temperatures of up to 15–35 °C (27–63 °F) above air temperature by cyanide resistant cellular respiration in order to melt its way through frozen ground, placing it among a small group of thermogenic plants.... Some studies suggest that beyond allowing the plant to grow in icy soil, the heat it produces may help to spread its odor in the air. Carrion-feeding insects that are attracted by the scent may be doubly encouraged to enter the spathe because it is warmer than the surrounding air, fueling pollination....

Dreams dreamed, now the trick is to make it all happen — black nebula carrots and all.

FROM THE EMAIL: Sarah from VA writes:

Is it OK to try and do a cafe-type post via e-mail? Well, I'm going to try! 

I'm excited for your garden! I'm weirdly interested in the fact that you're planting wheat and barley. Are they going to be primarily ornamental grasses or are you actually planning on harvesting? Does Meade have grand plans for baking a loaf of bread Little-Red-Hen-style? 

I spent hours and hours this week putting in some raised beds in our yard. You'd think my kids had no toys or any kind of other entertainment, so great was the draw of the garden beds. A big pile of dirt, a shovel, a garden rake -- what else do you need? Of course I'm sure the interest will evaporate when it's time to start weeding.

Everything is ornamental, but the things that are edible, we plan to eat. Meade says, “It will be gruel on the bacon,” which meant “It will be icing on the cake.”