Decades after graduation, it was time for Judy and me to revisit my college, Indiana University, in Bloomington, Indiana for a few weeks visit this summer 2022. We had visited for a week, in February of 2022, and were both so enamored, we wanted to return. This Midwestern college town delivers in the ways that college towns do.

With a population of 80,000, half of which are college students, the town is based around the university, founded in 1820.

Bloomington, Indiana is a fun, blue dot in a red state, with a very healthy lifestyle full of music, arts, comedy, Big 10 sports, theater, cafes/coffee houses, restaurants, distilleries/wineries and breweries. At any age, you can enjoy the well integrated community. Having the ease of flat and gentle rolling hills, bike riding and walking is a treat in Bloomington (fondly called B-Town by locals).

Getting around: bike, car, walk, public transport. Take your pick, in the spring, summer and fall- all is ample and popular here. We’ve been exploring quite a bit on bike, and for me, it feels strikingly safer than hilly, more densely populated San Francisco Bay Area. I’m addicted to casual bike riding while here, and it’s been such a wonderful way to explore Bloomington – to enjoy the campus, neighborhoods, restaurants, cafes, shops,  trails and parks.

Here is a bike map: CITY OF BLOOMINGTON

Extensive, well thought out bike paths and sidewalks

 

 

Safe, easy and enjoyable bike routes, trails and side walks throughout.

 

Flora and Fauna

On the flora/ fauna front there is much to experience and learn from both the wild nature and the stylishly harnessed home gardens. Chic indoor plants are so very popular here and boy do they grow more healthy and with an ease I haven’t seen in our drier Mediterranean climate. Enjoy a small taste of some photos of Bloomington homes, gardens and plants!

 

Learn more about Indiana Limesone at IU Geological Survey!

Annual Color on IU Campus

Fauna

 

 

 

Comparing Plant Hardiness Zones

USDA Zones… It’s surprising that coming from San Francisco’s mild Mediterranean climate: USDA Zones – 10a (30 to 35 °F)  to 10b (35 to 40 °F) to Bloomington’s southern Indiana climate, which is USDA Zone – 6a (-10 to -5 °F), that so many of the same perennials and annuals (though often these annuals are perennials in SF Bay area) are incorporated into home, park and community plantings.

Here are some winter hardy perennials that tend to reliably return to Bloomington (and SF):

*Italicized plants, listed below are perennials recommended in Bloomington as plants for pollinators (bees and butterflies.)

Achillea – Yarrow
Allium – Ornamental Onion
Asclepias – Milkweed
Aster -Aster
Baptisia – Blue False Indigo
Coreopsis – Tickseed
Digitalis – Foxglove
Echinacea- Coneflower
Eupatorium – Joe Pye Weed
Gaillardia – Blanket flower
Geranium – Geranium
Helenium – Sneezeweed
Helianthus – Sunflower
Iris – Iris
Kniphofia – Red Hot Poker
Lavandula – Lavender
Lobelia – Cardinal Flower/Lobelia
Liatris – Dense Blazing Star
Lupinus- Lupine
Monarda – Beebalm
Nepeta – Catmint
Penstemon – Beardtongue
Phlox – Phlox
Rudbeckia – Black Eyed Susan
Salvia – Garden Sage
Scabiosa – Pincushion flower
Veronica – Ironweed
Viola – Violet

Conclusion

There is something so special about Bloomington, Indiana.
~To learn more about Indiana Native plants check out INPS

~To learn more about Indiana Limestone visit IU Geological Survey where:

Images of residences, churches, universities, museums, businesses, and public and municipal buildings, many of which were designed by prominent architects, document the use of Indiana limestone throughout the United States from the late 1800s to mid-1900s. Remarkably holistic in scope, these photographs and their accompanying metadata can be studied across major disciplines such as American history, architectural history, history of technology, urban studies, history of photography, historic preservation, labor history, and the history of geology.

Happy Gardening!

Nicole and Judy