Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 18, 1 by indiana_lily

indiana_lily wrote:
Beautiful, James!! Sorry, don't know what to say about your chrysalis, though, because I've not had that experience yet -- Monarch's, I mean.

Leslie, yes, that very imaginary shrimp plant is the one I sent you cuttings from. See, the sky's the limit with that, and you really don't have to worry about rooting it, it just magically happens. LOL!!

I started the nectaring garden in the middle of May. I planted Agastache, lantana, butterfly bush, Salvia greggii, hollyhock (by seed, so I guess they won't bloom till next year), Mallow (overtaken by lantana), and one lone goblin blanket flower and two coral bells. Unfortunately, Lantana is not hardy in this area, so, I've been collecting seeds, and letting it self seed too, so we'll see what happens. I think the reason the plants are so big now, is because I also grow brugmansia (I have about 30), and they are VERY heavy feeders. So, when I feed the brugs, I feed the butterfly garden at the same time. Well, I used to, now it would only be asking for trouble! LOL!! Also, since we've been going through this horrible drought, water everything every day before I go to work. It takes about 25 minutes to water everything every morning.

I had my parsley in a separate area of the yard, but the BST's never seemed to have noticed it there, so I just stuck the little pots they were sitting in at the front of the nectaring garden, and BINGO, the rest is history. So, I guess it is good to have the host plants close by.

Anyway, here's a picture of the garden from May 19. Big difference, huh?