GARDEN PARTY!!!

Had a hummer visiting all the bright colored flowers in the front today. Was thrilled to see & hopefully more will follow.

Linda, I hope you are doing OK.

I have Dr appts lined up most of next week. Very tired and weak and gardens (as well as house) are being neglected. I will get through this in time. Just taking it easy for now.

I love these plant markers!!

Cute kitties, and plant marker.

I bet you all are just missing the hummers, they are in my garden very early in the morning and mostly right before sunset in the evening. They love the salvias, pentas, and my red Crimson Passionflower.

We've had hummingbirds here as well, but I haven't seen a single monarch this year. Usually my milkweeds are eaten to stumps at least a couple of times during the season. My daughter, who lives in an apartment in town, has some milkweed plants on her patio and already had 2 sets of caterpillars this summer.

I have seen swallowtails, zebra longwings and a few monarchs as well as blue jays, cardinals, woodpeckers, mockingbirds and even a hawk in my yard...but no hummers. :-(

I want to get a variety of pentas to add to my butterfly garden.

I have not had many Monarchs but I have alot of Zebra Longwings this year. I will take what I can get!!!

Love that Plant marker!
We have 1 hummer that is still hanging around…Every morning and evening…Like clockwork. Seems to especially love the Firespike, Mexican Petunias, Texas Sage, and Basil.

Lots of Gulf Frits this year.

A friend bought me a plant marker that says "The Weeds Are Winning" also one that said "I tried but it died" .
Both very appropriate for me.

Linda (Mistress Gardner) I hope you are doing better. I had a TIA many years ago but didn't even know it except for loosing speech for about an hr. I just kept on going cause didn't know what it was so didn't have enough sence to worry about it.
I kow better now.

Take care of yourself.

Bonnie

I had Monarchs very early this year back in the spring, they cleaned my milkweed clean. However now that you mention it, I'm not seeing any and my milkweed has grown back. Tons of Zebras, Swallowtails, Sulphurs, not many Gulf Frits, at least not like last year. Lots of skeeters too.

Shauna, Pentas are nice because they bloom all year long. They last several seasons too before they tire out. I have some in the ground and in pots. I like keeping them in pots so I can move them around where ever I need some color. Once established they're actually pretty drought tolerant.

This pink one is a favorite and on the third season, it is in a pot and I throw a cover over it when temps freeze.

Same color as my penta Sherri. I like them casue they are an easy grower.

Zebra longwings have disappeared and I did have plenty. Maybe its migration time.
Got a pair of yellow ones out front now. Not sure of their name

Happy to report I have work in house now. Two jobs. I am going to reward myself with a pond vacuum. I deserve it. LOL

Happy gardening all.

Bonnie

I have been having frequent visitors in the woods behind my house. I really enjoy them and the fact they have been clearing some of the invasive vines off my fence!
I have been feeling better but still not up to yard work yet. I know the weeds will be there when I am up to it, but hoping they don't take over!!

Sherri,
Went to Home Depot over the weekend and found and purchased 4 penta plants...red, white, lavender and pink.


I love visitors, especially when they assist in yardwork. Have a few of those types of vines around coming from my neighbors properties. I would love to have the goats eat them...although my neighbors might get mad if I left a goat on their property to clean. LOL

This message was edited Sep 16, 2013 1:52 PM

Cool to have goats do the work for you, where are they coming from?

Shauna, Yeah! I've been staying away from the garden centers, but now have some empty flower pots again, so might venture on out for some fall color eye candy next payday.

Bonnie glad you'll be able to get your vacuum. I'm seeing lots of swallowtails, some Zebras, but not many. No Monarchs at all. Lots of skippers and hummingbirds though.

No monarchs here either. Many zebras during the summer but now they are gone I guess to migrate. I'll have to check MonarchWatch to see whats going on with them. I have a feeling its all the rains Mexico is getting as that is there favorite breeding ground.

Guess I spoke too soon! Over the past week I noticed a couple of Monarchs flitting around the garden and later found several of the caterpillars on my milkweed. Yay!

I have a huge firebush in the front yard that the swallowtails love and I usually see at leat2-3 flying around it at any given time. What I have noticed recently that when any other type of butterfly comes around it, the swallowtails chase it away.

Has anyone else noticed their swallowtails to be territorial?

Mine are!!! Have had some very large monarchs in my yard lately, running off the long wing zebras! A few of the yellow still around---don't know the name of them!

I've seen butterflies of all species chase others away. I see hummers get aggressive with each other also. The birds too, over the birdfeeder. I stopped putting seed out since it was attracting rats, just creepy to be sitting outside and have rats running around the garden.

Still have lots of butterflies! Tit Willows, Cardinals, that are here year round, finches starting to come in, Mocking Birds, & Blue Jays---they all fight over the feeders. Thank Goodness, I don't get the rats!!!!! May have something to do with all of the cats we own!!!