Our December weather has been unusual this year. It took a long time before our first freeze and then we've had a couple of days here and there that were in the 70's. But, as always, after warm winter weather, a bad storm follows. Because of the bouts of warmer temperatures, I've had some fun visitors to my garden that we wouldn't normally see in late fall and early winter. This guy greeted me at my door last night. I left the light above … [Read more...]
Making a Home for Gulf Fritillary Butterflies in My Garden
These orange, black, and silver-spotted beauties have been in my garden a lot this summer. I've seen Gulf fritillary butterflies (Agraulis vanillae) feeding at the black and blue salvia, the pineapple sage, and some of the other flowers in my garden. Caterpillar Host Plants The hatching of their eggs was announced by the complete de-leafing of my two purple passionflower vines. Now I love the unique flowers purple passionflower vine, but … [Read more...]
Butterflies from my garden
Many of the flowering plants I grow in my yard attract butterflies by providing food for them or their larvae. It always makes me smile to see a butterfly flitting by or resting on a bloom. My neighbors probably think I'm crazy when they hear me say "hello, beautiful" to the butterflies, but they always seem like fancy ladies visiting my garden. I enjoy seeing them and I hope to attract more each year. These are photos of some of the … [Read more...]
Top 5 benefits of gardening with native plants
Native plants are adapted to the soil, temperature, rainfall, and fauna in the area in which they grow. As a result, they provide some benefits to the gardener and local wildlife that non-native plants bought from your local garden store may not. I like the look of native plants in my garden. I tend to mix them in with exotic plants and I end up with a pleasing hodgepodge of plants in my garden. Some native plants may look a little to “weedy” … [Read more...]
Red Buckeye Flowers For Butterflies, Bees, and Hummingbirds
Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) The bright red flowers of this native shrub are a favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies in early spring. In the southeast, it blooms in late March and early April and you can hear the hummingbirds buzzing around the blooms. The red buckeye always catches my eye when it is blooming. These tall shrubs are usually covered in red blooms. This weekend there was a good hatching of eastern black swallowtails in my … [Read more...]
Rosepink (Sabatia angularis)
This beauty can be found growing in the majority of the United States. It is native to the eastern U.S. - as far east as Kansas and Illinois and down to New Mexico and north to Wisconsin. It is also native to Ontario, Canada. Its vibrant pink or white flowers bloom in July through September and are about 1 inch in diameter with 5 petals. The unique star-shaped center of the flower is yellow-green and outlined with a red border. Anthers on the … [Read more...]
False Garlic (Nothoscordum bivalve)
I love the flowers of false garlic, which bloom in large numbers, but as the blooms fade, the grass-like leaves are quite abundant. I prefer not to have them in my flower beds, but I leave it blooming in the lawn and will not cut the grass until the blooms are done. It blooms in early spring in sunny locations with well-drained soil. Plant Description Also known as crow poison, Nothoscordum bivalve is a perennial flowering plant that grows … [Read more...]
Cutleaf Coneflower: Rudbeckia laciniata
Native to North America, this tall flowering perennial in the Asteraceae family makes a statement in my garden. Not only is it a prolific bloomer, but it also attracts all sorts of insects – bees, butterflies, and other insects. With a height of almost 6 feet, it towers around the base of the sycamore that I have it planted around. The leaves of this plant are highly lobed, making it look like the leaf has been “torn” – hence the source of the … [Read more...]
Echinacea species – Flowering plants for bees, butterflies, and birds
Butterflies and bees just love coneflowers in the genus Echinacea. You are probably familiar with purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), but there are many cultivars now available in a variety of colors: red, pink, white, orange, yellow, cream, green, and gold. There are even Echinacea flowers with double blooms. Echinacea is native to the central and eastern United States and can be found growing in prairies, fields, and even in open woods. … [Read more...]
Attract Hummingbirds and Butterflies with Bee Balm (Monarda spp)
If you’re looking for a native, perennial plant to add to your garden that will be easy to care for, add great color to your garden, and also attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, bee balm (Monarda sp.) is a good choice. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees feed on the nectar of this flower. According to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Monarda has a special value to native bees. Bee balm is in the mint family; its leaves are … [Read more...]
