Butterfly Host Plant Seed Exchange? Anyone interested?!

The last couple of comments have been very Inspirational. My goal & prayer has always been to have my yard/garden so peaceful and full of God's beauty that people want to just stop and come for a visit even if they do not know me. I want it to be a place where people can come and feel God presence.

It's definitely something that happened as I grew older. I still enjoy doing some of the things that I've always done but they are becoming old and less important. I would much rather stay home and deadhead flowers sometimes! :)

Marie, I hope that you are able to get make your garden what you are imagining it to be. Mine is always a work in progress. It doesn't have to be my garden either. I love going to the Japanese Gardens and the Botanic Gardens in Fort Worth too. It's nice to have my own slice of it in my backyard tho.

Gardening is my release and like my nicotine. I must have some time each day to go outside and at least look at it. Sometimes I can work hours and sometimes it's just to sit for 15 minutes and look or deadhead.

Yes I am the same way it is my addiction too. But I love looking at al the wonders that happen each day in it. I am sure mine will always be a work in progress too! I take no credit for it and give it all to the Lord (he along with everyone else knows what a black thumb I have)

I agree that too many people don't take the time to enjoy nature. My neighbors are into golf and I am sure they think of me as a nut job (lol) but....yesterday one of them told me she hasn't had any aphids on her plants this year and thought it was cause I released 900 ladybugs. Another told me that evertime she sees a BF she thanks me. So maybe it is getting through a little. Wish my constant haranguing them about not using pesticides would get through.

Wait until they see my new pets, my worm farm (rofl). Karen

Hi! Everybody!! I know what you mean that gardening for butterflies is addictive. I gladly own up to the addiction. I hope that I am able to give in to it for many years. My wife loves it also...not because she likes butterflies but because it keeps me occupied. She also likes me gardening because I am spending money on the garden at the house and not on an activity that I shouldn't.

I used to think that when the kids leave home, everything in the garden would be boring but, you know, I am starting all over with the grandkids...lol.

Keep the host plant selections coming. I am learning a heck of a lot.

Thanks,

Chuck

Just got my little PawPaw from eBay today, in good condition. Now all I need to have the complete BF garden is a spicebush. Karen

oooooh ...... am I ever jealous, Karen! You'll have to tell us how it does in Zone 9a.

I was at a local nursery asking about Pawpaw and was told that it was too hot in my zone to grow it successfully.

I've been told that about other plants too, but it didn't stop me from trying! LOL!

Nah Uh Becky, Should be OK in your zone.

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/129080/index.html

lol I was reading all ya's input about ur addictions and I was at work today telling this guy I need off Saturday to get the rest of what I got planted, he asked what you mean (his is thinking pot drugs) I said I am getting a butterfly and humming bird garden ready for spring, he really gave me the strange look he asked if I was married I said what would that have to do with it! He though a man was strange for growing flowers especially for butterflies!
And I agree with you marieortiz and all the rest of ya I just want God to be glorified and His Glory to cover my garden, Jesus said “when I am lifted up I will draw all men unto Me”!
Jesse

Wow!
I'm out all day moving dirt, building beds, and digging...I come back in and check the thread and all the sisters are realy talking my language. The Lord has taught me so much with Butterfles. it is a parable so simple that really compares to how we're changed into new life being born again. True confession: Christ Jesus is my passion, everything else is second.

He lead me out into the garden after a major loss, and from many dips into depression that would kill any grown man...He put things into my hands to grow as we talked in the Garden. Showed me that Joy was mine to keep, and never be taken away. He showed me a hope inside me to see beyond myself to needs of other people. No one has to ever live without Hope, because He already came...and He doesn't take it away from you if you mess up.

Hope is a tool...it unlocks all sorts of things..reminds me of a serious verse that got stuck in my head: Always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within you....
and another He said goes with it: Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when desire comes it is a tree of life.

My career for 20 years as a Locksmith was all God's doing too, and the wide range of clients was amazing...I knew it was Him helping me. He helped me win a lawsuit against me when I had to represent myself for lack of finding a lawyer who would go up against the one suing me...He was examining me on the stand and asked, Why couldn't you have a real attorney represent you?" My reply was, "someone is representing me, His name is Jesus." The look on that guys face was priceless!! And I won... Coincidentally the next week I was doing a lock job for a woman and she had been on the jury I had requested... I said, "Why did you all take 4 hours to deliberate my case?" She said, "We were trying to figure out exactly how much money the lawyer owed YOU." That was so cool!! ....I had not counter sued so I didn't win any money, I won so much more than money could touch.

Hope I didn't go on too long y'all, it doesnt take much to make me talk. I guess I was trying to say Amen! to all of you sisters in here. Right on about God's work Janet, and all the oblivious people, so true! KKB (paige) wtg on the butification commitee girl!! ~Waves and amen to my newest friend Marie!! Bless ya Beckie I relate, and yours & Marie's Cassia seeds are in the mail!
Yeah Karen, we need to keep a lot od ladybugs around our Milkweed, the aphids sure seem to love it.. I mean it is an aphid magnet, lol.. But we ain't raising aphids!! Waves ~ @ the Chuckster!! I agree totally Jesse!!

I stayed here so long now I will have to check my other threads in the morning...Night night! Sweet dreams!




This message was edited Oct 12, 2006 7:40 PM

Okay one more, LOL!

Paige imo you are excellent for that Butification Committee.

You guys~ This is just a fraction of Paige's Butterfly Garden.. see what I mean??
(I took this pic on a visit in September I have a few other pics)

Ok night! I mean it.

Wow Debs you pack a punch. There isn't a square inch for anything else. Beautiful!!!

P.S. Sorry, looked at the picture before reading the comment. Wow Paige!!!

This message was edited Oct 13, 2006 9:02 AM

WOW! Paige has really done a gorgeous job on her gardens! I'm still trying to learn layering in my garden like that. Thanks Deb for posting that photo!

The GF Chrysalis I showed the other day changed to a lighter color. Here is the pic from this morning.>

Deb - That looks alot more like the chrysalis I've had from my GF here in Florida! Good shot! You definitely have a photographer's eye! :-)

Thx Becky,
It helps to have a good camera, it is a Cannon S1, DH is going to check into an upgrade now that the S3 is out.


Here's an emerging GF from off the eve of the house, it was a lighter color because of what she chose to hang on, (i guess). That black one from before was WEIRD to me too, lol. I had never seen one that dark, but I had read they have a tendency to camoflage somewhat.

Btw~I looked at your list, and I noticed you didn't have Queen Anne's Lace on there, so I put some of those seeds in there too. If you already have some, just share those with someone else.:o)

Janet~ Yayy, you got a Paw Paw! Tell me what the instructions said on how to plant it if you have them. Can you show a pic of it, I would love to see. (I am interrested in seeing how long the root is.)

Deb

I just bought a 1 gallon PawPaw from a gal on eBay and have planted it. There are no long taproots, just a regular "bundle" of roots. The whole thing, including shipping was $12.49. Karen

Deb - Gosh! Another gorgeous photo! Love it! Connie and Janet need to see that photos since they have just found some GF cats for the cage they just built! (BTW- I have sent your seeds out already. You should receive them sometime next week.) Thanks for the Queen Anne's Lace. I have tried growing it, but it is apparently too hot in my zone and they don't survive for very long. Beautiful flower heads though. Maybe I should plant them very early (Spring) and they might last a little longer for the Swallowtail cats? Something for me to think about!

Karen - I see Zebra Swallowtails in your yard next year! How cool is that?!!! I posted a thread on DG asking for Pawpaw seeds. A member from Spain emailed me to say they had them at their local hardware store. That kind of blew my mind! Pawpaws in Spain??!!! Interesting.

Wow Deb thanks for sharing your wisdom. And that picture of Paiges garden is inspiration!!! This thread has truly become a blessing in my life. When I did not even know I needed one.
I got a wooley butterfly plant and another type of pipevine today. I cannot wiat to do some more work and really get a butterfly garden going!!!

I have to add a picture that I took in my garden last week (Oct 3) as the monarchs were migrating through. I counted 24 at one time on my 2 New England Aster plants. This is the first time in my life I've seen so many butterflies in one place. And I've been growing these asters for 15 - 20 years, but never have they attracted so many.

And one more picture:

How cool is that Cindy?? Somebody north of you had some serious Milkweed.

Thank you for sharing the pictures, your Aster is beautiful!
Did you happen to grow any Host Plants this year?
:oD

I'm so glad Marie!
That's why this thread was started, you might say it was just for you.

Well, I bought some organic compost from a local H&G store and was having DS(Kirby) dump some thing out, and walked away for just a couple minutes..When I came back he had dumped 1 of the bags out and it was full of stringy mildew!! Right on top of a carful mixture I had been working on all day long. It was like a punch in the stomach...All I could do is start sifting it out, and been flipping the soil around today to let the sun dry it out. (TG it's sunny today) I got some corn meal too, hopefull that will get it and I can get more soil. Yep it slowed me down, but it's getting there. I need about 1500 more pounds of stuff, lol.

Til now I have had patches of Host plants by the front porch and on the east side of the house. Here is the small 20x10' spot I cleared out (such as it is), especially for Butterflies in the back yard. Right now it is a blank slate..all the ideas are stuck anxiously in my head. I need to move the plant that is there, and plant 1 Cassia right in the middle. The PassionV is going all along the back fence, and Snapdraggons in the front, some herbs behind that, Milkweed behind those, etc. I will sow what I can this Fall and put clearly marked flags in place... (ooOOthinking outloud). If anyone has any input I welcome it..

~waves

Marie - Glad you find this forum uplifting! You never know ..... the best may be yet to come!

Cindy - Knock me over with a feather! Now YOU have got some serious migrating Monarchs that headed your way! That is sooo truly amazing. I've never seen such migration here in Florida. That's neat that you got some photos! Half the time when I see something worth photographing, I never have my camera with me.

Deb - A cleared plot of land for planting....... that's the kind of stuff I dream of! No kidding. The hardest part of gardening for me is preparing an area for planting. I'm so sorry that the compost had mildew in it! How frustrating! You know what .... the Good Lord saw all your hard labor on this and I guarantee you that it is going to be absolutely stunning when it is all done! You just wait and see! :-)

Are you wanting this area to be a host plant area or nectar area or both? Sounds like you already have a plan in your head. Be sure to add something whimsical in it for a focal point, too. I put a butterfly house in my front yard garden. (Of course we all know butterflies rarely if ever use a butterfly house.) But it gets everyone's attention when they walk up to my house and wonder about it. If this area is specifically for butterflies, you might want to add a puddling area or perhaps a birdbath filled half way with some moist mud and flat stones in it for the butterflies to land in. A small ornamental tree for shade and for the butterflies to land on to rest. How big do the cassia get? Just some ideas I thought of off the top of my head.

Great ideas Becky!
A butterfly house would be cute, I will be on the lookout for something whimsical...(Even if I need to go to the craft store and get one I can paint and decorate myself..ooOOhumm....And yeah mainly host plants spotted with small nectaring plants. Of course I will plant more Buddelia Alba, and Vitex nearby, only not in that bed. I made a makshift puddle near the Budd in front.. a small shallow birdbath would be good for that in hte new bed. Very encouraging notes Becky..

Thanks girl!

I went out to take a pic of the Cassia a while ago and a huge Monarch was taking a drink of the Bud...I caught her at an angle that makes her look like Mrs Butterworth-fly..with a brownish apron skirt trimmed in black with polka-dot with a matching top.. lol. She was about 4" span, and very vivid coloring.

The Cassia gets about 8-10ft high in one season here in TX with a lot of watering. In FL it could get bigger, so space them out very well or they will overlap leaves.. In some tropical places, (such as the Philippines), they reach 25', and are on the Invasives list there. Here is one of mine (pic) I'm planning to overwinter. It is about 8' tall now. I think you could sow some well marked seeds now where you live, and see what happens...it should break its dormancy and then come up early next year. Save some to start in January in a warm place just in case.

Here it is beginning to fold it's leaves together for the night..

Deb - LOL about the butterfly looking like Mrs. Butterworth. You know, she kind of does. Great photo!

Something I wanted to mention, if this area is mainly for host plants, you might want to reconsider. The host plants may get chewed up and not look so good, so I would definitely mix it half and half with nectar plants. That way the host plants can be a bit hidden and blend in with the nectar plants. I learned that lesson the hard way when my front garden was mostly host plants. I have since added quite a few nectar plants and it kind of hides the chewed up host plants that the cats are feeding on. Just a suggestion!

Right on Becky, good advice taking to heart:o)).. I will have a several nectaring flowers too for sure, I did that in front. I am planning to plant more Bud and Vitex, and Hyacinth around the side fences. Smaller nectaring plants for 'the BF bed'. Hopefully I will be able to keep up with their appetites by planning to have backups in sucession.. The thing I would be most concerned with in the back yard is natural selection.. birds feasting on them. And I do love my birdies too. It might take a while to get a balance going, but I'm up for it. I have to trust that a significant amount of them will survive, and I will be happy as a clam..
Thx again, I love your suggestions.

Deb

Deb - I just saw your cassia tree. I really like it! Does it cast a lot of shade or just a little? I discovered I had one in one of my large deco pots. Don't know how it got there. Must of been in with something I bought and planted in the same pot. I have yellow Shrimp plant in with it. It is about 3 foot tall and is blooming. You are right, it grew really fast. It seemed to pop up out of nowhere! Another plant to transplant to the "right" place in my yard sometime soon. lol

Oh my what a wonderful thread! Deb I knew there was a reason for me getting stuck on you ... God still sits on his throne! Sheila ... thanks for inviting me over here. I just love hearing you guys talk about these Butterflies. I never though about Butterflies until Paige turn them loose at the swap. Actually I thought she had caught some Butterflies and was turning them loose LOL I was wondering why all the color was still on the wings. Now dont yall hate me ... but when we were little kids we use to catch them and all the color came off the wing... I always wondered about that ... we would keep them in a jar until my granny made us turn them loose.Paige thanks for that awsome site and the great inservice.
Sylvia

Sylvia!! That's right , we all connected! How in the world are you? Your still cracking me up real bad, and now about the butterflies. rofl..Yes those Butterflies Paige set loose were from eggs laid in her BF garden. She's got the touch. Hope to see a lot more of you sister Syl! Sheila thank you again for taking me over to Paiges garden with you...and thanks for getting Sylvia over here. How are your little ones doing?

I just went out to check on the GF that was closed in and it was gone! No trace of it anywhere, and it was hidden pretty well too. I hope whatever ate it gets indigestion.. Yeah I do love the birdies, but I still rather them not eat the BF's.. It could have been one of those Pink Gheckos we have crawling around too. G Whiz, its a jungle out there!

Waves~
Deb

Sylvia - Welcome to the Butterfly Forum! You will find out everything you never knew out our beautiful winged wonders!

Becky~
They do cast shade, I have found that full sun plants do pretty well around them if it is trim at the bottom up as it gets bigger.
I like to make them look more like a tree than a shrub so that I can plant other smaller flowers underneath them. Royal carpet
Alyssum would look real pretty, or anything short and deep purple.

Deb

Deb - Thanks! That is exactly what I was thinking about doing. We seem to think on the same wave-length! :-)

I have this idea in my head for my backyard landscape. I want to section off and box in plant areas using wood edging. (I know wood deteriorates but it is cheaper than block, brick, or stone. It can be replaced as needed.) I plan to do numerous areas in my backyard and then add a winding path using large pavers through all of it. I am thinking of making "rooms" of different gardens in my backyard. I've seen landscaping like that and I am determined to create such an area to "relax and explore" with seating areas scattered throughout. The grass will be no more!! (Except for a small area for my dog to do his business in. :^s) My house is sitting in the middle of a standard size lot 80' X 125', so that will be the challenge to see how much I can fit into my small backyard. Right now I am just doing the gardens around the perimeter of the backyard. I plan to tackle the perimeter against the back fence next Spring/Summer. Doing it this way reminds me of "out-lining" something and then filling it in. So I am setting up the exterior borders and will move inward. Does that make sense?

On the "Before and After Gardens" thread, Janet shared photos of her back patio area. Another project that I hope to do in the Spring is build a patio just outside my tiny screened porch. I am planning to use large pavers to do that as well so that I can match it up with the path to make it all flow together. The biggest problem is that this is going to take years to complete. I just hope I will see the end results. I want it lush like Paige's garden using layering of plants. Big idea, lots of work, time, and money ... we'll see. And to make it worse, I have a sloping back yard. I am going to try to convince my hubby to build me an archway using a trellis design that I can grow either a vine or maybe even try climbing roses on. That is my dream yard! I may be taking on too large an endeavor. (Probably!) I do 90% of the work in my yard by myself. My family is NOT into gardening at all. I wish I was rich and could pay someone to come put in the patio, path, and beds so that I could just do the selecting and planting of what I want growing throughout. But unless I hit the lotto, I'm a one-woman crew! LOL!

Just love all these butterfly plants and information.. question??? Are the paw paws the same as the wild ones that grew/grow in Florida. They were in pastures everywhere in central Florida.. Elaine

Probably so Elaine :o).. Only one Paw Paw, as far as I know. Anyone else know??

Worked all day on the above 'blank slate". I put in nearly every BF plant I had loose in there... Now to move the Passionvines back there. I have to wait on one to "J" that is real ready now... Then I might be able to move the PVs.

Ouch, and Good Night
:oD

Well, where's the pictures Debnes??? We wanna see how it all turned out. :-)

Janet

LOL Janet,
It hasn't officially turned out yet , your kiling me rofl! It takes more than "one" day for something like this to 'turn-out'. How long did it take between your 'before' and 'after'? You triggered some seriously weary rofling here Jan......Still quite a bit left to do, although, to me it looks a lot different. I did take a picture...and so far I will wait on sharing that one. I still want to do the back fence wall, plant PassV, and PipeV....not close together at all, just being picky about how I do plant both of those. Boy I'm bushed! Will start again tomorrow, but I have to throw a double Bday party for my oldest (24), and youngest (8).. Whew!
Pray for me y'all~
;oD

Good Lord it took you a while (16 years) to figure out what caused them! HAHAHAHA Good Luck on the party. I haven't done a bday party in several years. We usually let the kid pick where they want to eat and just get the family together for that. My girls are 18 and 24.

I suppose I can be patient on the pics. I'm a bit anxious because I'm planning my own BF garden and need all of the ideas I can get.

I have 3 freeform ponds that I want to use. Connie and I put them in the front yard today and I didn't really like the way they looked (naked and black sides and all). So I think I am going to remove some stuff in the front that's been there forever up close to the house, along with some really invasive weeds that have taken over, and park them there. I do believe I'm going to have to learn how to use that weed whacker and tackle that job myself. I'll pull out as many as I can. There is ground cover in a nice fluid line all along there and I think that will cover up the nakedness of the tubs. I'm hoping this will make them pretty much weed free, Plus... BIG BONUS.... I won't have to dig any holes for the plants! Yippeeeeeeee!! Downside. I've bought 4 huge bags of soil today and don't think that's going to make a dent in what I really need. I bought 2 huge bags the other day but have already dumped them into my potting bathtub and really don't want to move them again, so I'll save them for potting plants.

I've been adding to my BF plant "stash" this week for the BF garden. I bought 2 durantas, one white and one light lavender, lipstick plant (not sure if it's for BF's or not, and really don't care at this point... I loved them), 6 lantanas, 1 pink salvia, 1 pink and salmon something that's escaping me, a pink buddleia, 6 blue mist plants, a Mexican Sage, and a few more milkweed. It's really hard to find around here. I found one red/orange one today. Several of the plants were distressed - read cheap here, but are beautiful now. Some weren't so cheap, but doggoneit, I'm worth it! I can't wait to see the results. It's been many years since there was lots of color in the front of the house. We used to have several islands with wildflowers out there, but have lost 5 trees in the front yard in the past 16 years. And there went my islands. It's so hot out front that I don't water very often. Most of the shrubs are pretty self sufficient, thank heavens!

I also bought a slew of herbs this past week. Chocolate Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Dill, Parsley, Chives, and I'm sure some others that I can't think of right now. Some will be for the BF and some for cooking with. I think I am going to put that gorgeous Mexican sage in the center of the herb garden pond and the rest all around it. Man that stuff is beautiful with those big purple spikes!

You all have created a monster here. I hope you're happy now! HAHAHA I am!


Janet

Well then Janet, we re all a pack of monsters then. LOL.. I have planted most of what I am having in the BF bed for now..I still need to chose where I sow certain seeds I have, and of course they wont be visible until Spring. Moving all the dirt and such wore me our yesterday, but I ma so glad I got planted what I did, bc we got a lovely slow soaking rain this morning.. ooOAh the smell of wet dirt in the morning!Ooo It did rain on me yesterday a little, but I kept on trucking...

For a few years the back yard was neglected somewhat, and my Chihuauah (Itty) thinks it is 'his' territory. He is so curious about everything I am doing that he is glued to my heels when I'm out there. Very cute:o), and I like the company, except when he tries to copy me and dig...One of these days he might dig and find some of his own scat in there, and that will cure him i think.

Such as it is I will show yas all what I got so far. I am going to move the Duranta in the back of this section pretty soon bc thats where the Cassia is going to be, with Lupines on both sides.

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