Determination

Posted on July 31, 2025 by SweetButterfly Bliss

The last few days I have been watering newly planted milkweed, as the heat is extreme, and the rain has not been falling as often. The best time to do this is about an hour before the sun goes down.

It appears this is the best time to stroll through the garden, as the last few days there have been monarchs feasting on nectar. Tonight’s dinner, the nectar of a Mexican sunflower.

I loved watching this monarch’s determination of extending its proboscis, finding the opening of the flower, and sipping the nectar.

The best things happen when you slow down enough to witness nature at its finest.

A zinnia meal

Posted on July 27, 2025 by SweetButterfly Bliss

It’s that time of year when the only good time to work in the garden is very early in the morning, or about an hour before the sun goes down.

There was a male monarch butterfly that followed me around the garden feasting on the nectar of many different colored zinnias. It loved the white and the orange flowers.

The zinnia is a wonderful flower to add to a butterfly garden. Butterflies of every species loves the nectar. The best part is it is among the easiest plants to grow. The best part is it constantly produces more seeds to continue a steady new growth in the garden.

It was rewarding to spend time in the garden, as we both co-existence almost side by side.

25 and counting

Posted on May 22, 2025 by SweetButterfly Bliss

A few weeks ago I began a new project garden, inspiration I saw from another garden. That project – identifying plants with garden metal labels.

I have done two different fonts and today completed all 25 labels I received using my cricut machine.

It has been a great project as it has given me the opportunity to take inventory of what I have. The great part, I still have more plants to identify.

I have tried to plant natives in the garden, as they can tolerate whatever weather Southwest Florida throws at them, and they multiple and fill in empty space quite nicely. A good example of this is the blanket flower and coreopsis, otherwise known as tickseed.

Here are a few of the flowers that have been identified so far.

A little battered

Posted on May 9, 2025 by SweetButterfly Bliss

The last few days the same female monarch butterfly has been visiting the garden. You ask, how can I be sure? Well, this beauty has seen better days and has very distinct torn wings.

She is truly incredibly to watch flutter about. A few times she flew by extremely close, almost as if she was saying hello.

Every time I see her she is stopping by one of the five potted zinnia plants, going from flower to flower. Once she has enough nectar she will fly to the giant milkweed, sometimes laying eggs, other times just resting. The photo below shows her resting next to a monarch caterpillar who was busy eating.

Lantana, a must have

Posted on April 9, 2025 by SweetButterfly Bliss

There are many different varieties of lantana, running the gamut of colors. Unfortunately there are non-native and native varieties.

According to the University of Florida the native lantana are sterile-in other words cannot produce viable seeds and pollen. The one pictured below is called a lantana depressa.

The lantana loves full sun and prefers well-drained soils. They tolerate both heat and salt.

The butterflies love the nectar.

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