I would love to see pictures of your Butterfly and Hummingbird gardens. I have pictures of my newish garden. It started out as a small island planted with all the hummingbird and butterfly plants I could find. At that time I had a lot of shade so it ended up being mostly a hummingbird garden. Then we had trees removed and I ended up adding more butterfly plants. A lot of stuff is loved by both of them. I find most of my plants are stuff that attracts them aside from an occasional thing I got just because it was pretty and on sale. If there is any interest in this thread I will post some of my own photos as well. So come on lets see all your hard work! Updates on photos would be cool too because then we can see how the gardens change from spring to fall and for some of you winter. ^_^
This message was edited Jun 25, 2008 1:23 PM
Butterfly and Hummingbird Gardens
I'll try to take some potos and post them tomorrow-but you have to remember that mine are just in their infancy! I'm anxious to see other gardens to get some ideas!
Deb
If it ever stops raining I'll get outside and take pics, too. And I'll have to show you some of the gardens planted at MOSI. One of the guests this weekend asked if the butterflies flying around outside were ones we had released, and I told him no - if you plant the right things they will come to you!
I don't really have a "butterfly garden" per se; I plant butterfly plants all over my yard. And the neighbor's yard. And on the corner...
I've developed a Web page that traces the development of our Butterfly Garden over the past year: http://www.centralfloridagarden.com/house/Butterfly/butterfly.html Based on a visit from a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird this week, I guess I now have to call it our Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden.
This message was edited Jun 25, 2008 9:28 PM
DMurray I know I still want to see your garden. If it is in infancy we can hopefully see it turn into a teenager with updated photos. : )
Mellie, I think the hardest part of gardening for butterflies especially is keeping it looking like a pretty garden and having enough host plants for all the hungry caterpillars. So, I think it will be fun to see how others work them into their garden. Not just for esthetics but also to see if the way things are planted helps keep the caterpillars unnoticed by birds or other predators. I can't help but think some of my nectar plants could be leading to the demise of caterpillars making it to butterflies by attracting predatory insects.
Bsewall, I love your website. I started looking at it but I wanted to get a post in before I go back and look at it some more. : )
Bsewall, wonderful website! I took a peek at it and will go back later to look around some more. Nice work!
OK, I posted several photos of my gardens on Smugmug (I hope . . .)-please feel free to take a look and if you have any suggestions or comments I would love to hear them!
( http://dmurray.smugmug.com/gallery/5263857_JXXAj#320374403_nvHb3 )
Deb
This message was edited Jun 26, 2008 11:35 AM
Oh my, what a cute doggy you have! : ) I love your gardens. Let us know if you post more pictures. : )
That's Buster. He's a good boy (and a great gardening buddy!). I forgot to mention that I also have orioles that come to my feeders and I have found that both the hummingbirds and orioles do just fine with the oriole feeders, so that's what I use.
Deb
Here is my Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden on 6/19. This is on the west side of my house right up against my property line, looking away from my house and towards the road. The side closer to the road gets sun until an average of 1pm at the very edge and last longer as it moves towards the back yard with the furthest end being full sun (or close to it). This makes it challenging to keep the same plants on both sides. So I feel like it looks a little odd because of it. In the back of all the flowers there are young evergreens I planted for privacy from the neighbors and for a wind break for the butterflies. I am still adding small stuff I grew from seed throughout, including some Zinnias for color this year, but next year the perennials should be fuller. I think I was trying to recreate a moist meadow, with plants of my choosing rather than what one would actually be. Well almost except most of it ended up being mostly stuff for moist soil and at the very end on the opposite side I have some stuff for drier soil. I figure in a few years some of these plants will do better than others and the garden will take on a life of its own. I do have to water this garden a lot if we have no rain because I have fast draining sandy soil. I use a soaker hose around the bases of the plants most susceptible to taking a turn for the worst in dry weather. Due to the usefulness of these plants as nectar or food sources I thought it was all stuff worth having even though it needs a bit more water. I am trying to do the rest of my gardens with stuff that prefers a drier soil, so to conserve water.plants. Here is a link to the picture with tags of what everything is. http://s221.photobucket.com/albums/dd73/flutterbug79/My%20Garden/Butterfly%20and%20Hummingbird%20Garden/?action=view¤t=DSC01951.jpg
This message was edited Jun 28, 2008 10:09 PM
DMurray, Give Buster a kiss for me. I was typing when you posted and I didn't want to lose it by checking the post. : )
Here is looking at my front door. It was a little bright for a picture this day but it's the only one I have.
Tagged photo on photobucket - http://s221.photobucket.com/albums/dd73/flutterbug79/My%20Garden/Front%20Door%20Garden/?action=view¤t=DSC01593.jpg
Edited to fix link : )
This message was edited Jul 23, 2008 2:19 PM
Meredith, your photos are great! What a neat idea to tag the plants-that would be a good resource. It would also be a good thing for me to do becausr I often love the way a garden comes out int he summer and then the next spring I can't remember exactly what I did. I should get in the habit of labeling photos-what a good idea. I see you have some zinnias-I alway forget about them. They are such a hardy, forgiving little plant and I just love them.
Thanks for sharing!
Deb (and Buster)
Thank you Deb. I don't think you are seeing zinnias yet in that garden, only because they are still just seedlings. : ) I tagged the picture and realized I need better pictures because you can't even see half the plants in the picture. It's just hard to get the whole garden in one picture. I am going to get more pictures of the garden from different parts and add them to the photobucket page. I will post a link when I do.
This message was edited Jun 28, 2008 10:10 PM
This doesn't count as a "butterfly garden", but here's a fritillary in my lavender
Potagere
And a Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)
Potagere
If you have butterflies in the garden then it counts as a butterfly garden! : ) Those are some really nice pictures. It is so cool to see the different butterflies you have. That scarce swallowtail is very cool! : ) Thank you for sharing your beautiful butterflies with us. : )
This message was edited Jun 28, 2008 10:12 PM
I enjoyed everyone's garden pics! Here is mine, nothing fancy. Started this one this spring in the old herb garden.
Lupine, foxglove, butterfly bush, impatiens, salvia, bee balm, coral bells. I still have the oregeno chives and catnip in there. And also some garlic and onions that will be dug up soon.
Right side of garden
Left side
And on the other side of the yard I have what I call my WMA (Wildlife Management Area ha ha).
More hummer plants here. Impatiens, salvia, milkweed, wild clematis and huge pokeweed. GM :)
Forgot also there is the very old and invasive Trumpet Vine. It climbs upwards of 30 plus feet!
This message was edited Jun 29, 2008 11:45 AM
Grandmaggie I love your gardens! I like the wildlife management area, I decided I need to keep at least some of the volunteer plants growing at the edge of my property. It seems to help keep down the number of pests on my purposely planted stuff. I have lots of odd dandelion like flowers and little white aster looking flowers, great mullein, oenethras, andall sorts of stuff. : )
Beautiful photos, Grandmaggie. LOL, I think my entire yard is a WMA! (and not on purpose!)
Grandmaggie, you have more trees and green in your WMA than the whole state of Nevada. I have gardened in Las Vegas since 1960. That is the year I graduated from high school and moved to Las Vegas. I moved from a small mining town, in Nevada, and moved to the big city to get a job. My butterflies and hummers are just about gone. Probably headed you way. I had six hummer nests this year. The last two babies left the nest last week but are still buzzing around the laurel tree and the fig vine. They love the climbing fig vine when it detaches from the upper area of our two story home and hang down a couple of feet. The last nest that we saw was on the lower level of the front courtyard. It was only up about nine feet. I did get a ladder and took some pictures. They got used to me because I talked to them every morning about 5:30am. That is when the temp is about 73 degrees. I just plant whatever I think will grow here. I do have a Koi pond with a water fall. Both the hummers and the butterflies like the waterfall. Right now the orange dragonflies are laying eggs in the Koi pond. I have just found this tread and really enjoyed all of the pleasant thoughts and the great pictures. You must know here in Las Vegas all backyards are fenced in with block wall fences. I am lucky. I live on a greenbelt and have a see through wrought iron fence. I have attached a copy of the baby hummer just before they left the nest. This was the last picture I took this close because I did not want them to fledge early.
Picture of KOI pond.
Picture of KOI pond. There is an orange dragon fly on the jasmine near the fall on the right side, but if you can see it you have better eyes than I do. I need a better zoom lens.
Great picture of the babies and what a pretty waterfall!
Oh! I just love threads with garden photos! I love everyone's gardens here. They are ALL so beautiful!!! And I love all the garden art, too! Gives me more ideas for my yard!
I have a couple threads in the Garden Design forum as well as just recent photos in my Garden Diary (blog):
http://davesgarden.com/community/blogs/t/beckygardener/9687/
Beautiful, Becky! Your photos are really nice. I guess I didn't know about the "blog/diary" feature where you could put so many photos-I'll have to check that out. Just to let you know, the vine cuttings you sent me are doing super! I was concerned because we've had such a cool spring, but now that it's warmed up they have really taken off.
Deb
Deb - That's terrific to hear! The butterflies and bees love the blooms for the nectar! Thanks for the compliments on my yard! It's getting there ... :-)
Which vine are you talking about, the mexican flame? That is just gorgeous becky! I love your whole yard, you have sooo many cool plants there. : ) I am slightly jealous that you get to enjoy your garden all year, someday I am going to move somewhere warm. I've narrowed it down to two places, Florida is the more likely of the two. Keep us updated with more photos : )
I spent most of the day saturday getting a new bed ready. I’ve wanted to turn this area into a bed for a while. I put a single tare retaining wall there, to keep the rocks under the car port from washing into the bed. My back is aching more than I thought it would now. I got some stuff from a friend that I used there, 2 lilies, a spiderwort and some yellow irises. There are some pieces of violets in the spiderworts roots and I’m debating on keeping them or trying to pry them off, I know lots of fritillaries use violets for host plants but I think the one she has is that really hard to pull kind. I had some of that at my last place and it was no fun. I’d rather plant more garden friendly ones. I am trying to get 3 other types established so I guess I just made my decision : ) lol. Today I also got some seedlings planted and heuchera that were from another area, where they were getting too much hot sun. (I think they are Purple Palace, no use to our friends but we have to have some stuff just because we like it right? ; ) Next I plan on growing a pipevine up the lattice. Does anyone know if I will need to put fishing line for it? Or will it climb the lattice without it? I know I had a hard time growing most vines on that type of lattice so I figure it won’t work without adding some twine. Oh and I also saved some plantain that grows wild in that area of the yard, and planted it in there so my dh won’t mow it. I forget who those are for at the moment, but I know I recently read they are a fav of some butterfly. I think I remember now, it’s the same type that eat the chelone, Baltimore Checkerspot? Mostly I really wanted this done so I could get a pipevine established. I know I’ll be at the nursery tomorrow, to see if they still have them. I am excited that another area for my butterfly and hummingbird friends is under way! Yay : ) Here it is so far.
Yes, Mexican Flame Vine-Becky was nice enough to share some rooted cuttings with me. All I have to do is remember to take cuttings in the fall because it isn't hardy here. i can't wait to see it bloom!
Wow, that's great! I wonder how long it will flower for you. You'll have to post a pic for everyone when it does.
Great thread, meredith! I love to see others' butterfly gardens~~ yours is growing by leaps and bounds in the past couple seasons!
It took me a while to get a few pics of the BF garden this summer~!~ I keep thinking it will become prettier, but that's not happening. It's interesting to note how the garden has evolved as some of the perennials have taken over! For instance the monardas that last year were barely visible are all over the place this year (with not many bf visitors, nor hummingbirds). My milkweeds from past years seem to have disappeared (yanked out in the springtime~~ misidentified as weeds?). I usually have some (red) daylilies in the bed for contrast and to draw in the hummers, but the dear went through and systematically beheaded them last night! (sob).
Any way, here's a pic of our main bf bed~~ notice there are no butterflies in sight. They have been few and far between so far this summer.
These are some of my coneflowers and milkweeds grown from seed (wintersowed) in the past couple of years.
Most of my MWs and coneflowers from last winter's crop are still tiny.
And this is a photo of what I call my 'hospital' bed (or 'nursery' bed). This is where I planted many of my wintersowing seedlings to grow out a bit.
This bed doesn't really get enough sun for good growth, but I had to get my seedlings into the ground and so I had a load of 50-50 planting mix delivered from the landscapers and dumped here. We then quickly spread it out and planted the seedlings. Not the best plan, but all I could think of to do under the circumstances.
The slugs got some of my WS seedlings and it made me cry. Oh, well...
And here are my 'cheaters'. These are flowers I've started from seed in big pots. When the plants get big enough I place them in the front borders (hiding the pots) after the mid summer flowers are finished and cut back for late summer color. I have zinnias, sunflowers, eupatoriums, and tithonia in these pots (not doing so well yet this year).
Also we have some red cannas growing in pots for the hummingbirds to set out in the border.
I'm hoping my garden will 'kick in' a bit more if we get some July sunshine. The 'June Gloom' is getting to me these days and I'm ready for the sun to come out!
I would love to see some more pics of Butterfly Garden set ups. Anybody want to share?? (-: t.
Yes, more Butterfly and Hummer Garden pics please! I really enjoy everyones gardens! GM
Tab, Everytime you post pictures of your garden I am inspired! You really have the eye for gardening! What you do with your containers is a wonderful idea! I am going to try that myself. : ) I also need a 'hospital bed' I am going to get some loam soon. It seems I am always moving stuff I grew from seed - once I see how big they get. So it would be nice to have a spot I can just plant all stuff I am unsure of - until I see it's habits. Thank you for sharing your pictures ^_^
Please everyone - more!
Ask and you shall receive! I totally spaced out and forgot to take pictures at MOSI last weekend, but I remembered today. Here's the front...
