beans, squash ( no maize ), and a new perennial

"in one mound seven kernels of corn were scattered; in the next mound squash seeds were placed, and so on alternately...the beans were put into mounds by themselves and willow poles were provided for the vines to climb upon; but if ground space was limited the beans were planted with the corn, the stalk serving the same purpose as the poles." corn among the indians of the upper missouri pp.81-82 __________________________________________________________ i didn't have any willow poles for the beans so i had to make do with substitutes and some jute twine for the vines...i didn't plant corn either, but i did plant a native species in the sunflowers with the intention of letting them serve as a natural trellis for the squash...so the the population in the second photo is ( from left to right ) two scarlet runner beans, acorn squash, sunflower, spaghetti squash, and scarlet runner bean...perhaps not a traditional milpa but at least the sunflowers are planted around the border the way buffalo bird woman did it...i planted another perennial in the form of another blueberry bush...all three have berries developing...we'll see if i can get them before the birds do...the last two photos are form today's campus trip ( i watered before i knew there was a thunderstorm on the way...i don't imagine the plants will mind...but i hear stories of hail and that bothers me )...the fifth photo is of the blooming jerusalem artichokes...still another early start and the top photo is of some tillering the zea diploperennis over by the hopi blue maize is doing...another perennial expanding its root system rhyzomatically...i will be mulching this one in the fall as well as the larger stand in hopes it can return in the spring