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.
It is always a thrill to spot the zebra longwing butterfly, especially since Hurricane Ian impacted our area in Sept. 2022. That devastating hurricane did quite a number on the state butterfly.
I have spotted the zebra longwing a few times in my garden in the past few years. Today, it caught my eye while in my mom’s garden, as she has quite a few mature fire bush planted, one of their favorite nectar plants.
There’s hope that this butterfly will once again find the garden, it’s host plant, corkystem passionvine, and start its lifecycle in our garden again.
With anything that I do, I research until my heart’s content and I find the answers I am seeking. A few years ago, I stumbled upon the North American Butterfly Association, sparking a curiosity and desire to become involved.
I decided to continue to add to my butterfly garden space – more nectar plants, more host plants to attract new species of butterflies, before becoming certified.
My host plants now include – corkystem passionvine, maypop passionvine, Giant milkweed, butterfly milkweed, wild lime, birthwort, Dutchman pipe, bahama cassia, purpletop vervain, coontie, candlestick cassia, dill, frogfruit, Mexican petunia, plumbago, and Virginia pepperweed.
The nectar plants, also continue to grow in assortment. Some of my favorites include blanket flowers, zinnia, sweet almond bush, Mexican sunflower, and firebush.
With a these plants, my garden now extends across the front of my house, from my front door and beyond. There are many plants that have resseded themselves filling in more space around the walkway. The great part – I am still finding spaces to fill in with more new plants.
I am excited to share that my garden sign arrived, as well as my certificate. I now need to make a stake so I can put it in the garden.
I now have a certified butterfly garden. My passion continues to grow, even now, after more than five years of diving into this new passion and continuing to grow my knowledge of how to create the best space for butterflies.
Mexican sunflower Polydamas swallowtail hanging onto a blanket flower. Maypop passionvine, host plant for gulf fritillary. Monarch on a firebush.
am in awe with this butterfly, the polydamas swallowtail. In eight days, I have had 50 butterflies emerge, 20 today alone. I still have more chrysalsis to emerge!
There is truly nothing more special than having a butterfly sit on your hand before it decides to fly away, or juat hangs out with yiu for a while. They are spectacular.
My excitement, finding adorable garden art to add to my most favorite space. My husband and I were out shopping when this adorable caterpillar caught my attention and kept it.
I haven’t found its final destination yet, but everytime I walk past it, it makes me smile.
