Monarch Migration

The monarchs are starting their fall migration and my little pollinator garden is doing it's job.  I was so excited this morning to find the first caterpillar on the milkweed I planted this spring.

This is a variety of swamp milkweed.  In previous years I've only planted tropical milkweed but I prefer the swamp milkweed since it's a perennial.  It's all about making the garden low maintenance and low cost.

 The pollinator garden 

 is behind our home on the neighborhood greenbelt across the street from the lake.   

We have lots of wildlife and we do not use any chemicals in this area. 

This orange trumpet vine is a favorite of bees and hummingbirds.

Sedum Autumn Joy 

is almost in full bloom and a 

monarch favorite during fall migration. 

Sweet clematis vine is just starting to bloom and the bees love this vigorous plant.  It's very easy to grow and can be somewhat invasive but can be kept under control 

with a few early spring prunings.

The blooms are so pretty and smell 

so good!

Hyacinth Bean Vine is another easy to grow vine from seed.  I love the color of the blooms and the hummingbirds do too.  They have been visiting this plant almost daily since it bloomed.  Although this is planted next to my patio so I can enjoy it, I do have one planted on the greenbelt and it's doing 

well in full sun. 

The plants I choose to grow there have to take hot summers and be drought tolerant. 

I do hand water the plants a couple times a week when the temperature is above

 90 degrees and I use leftover grass clippings and mulch to keep the plants 

from drying out too fast.   

Monarch on my privet in the spring.  

They do like privet blooms in May as they

 are migrating north. 

I am hoping to see more monarchs as the migration gets in full swing however the reports this year say the count is low again.

I hope everyone will plant a few milkweeds in the garden each year and eliminate the use of chemicals.  

We all need to do our part to help these wonderful butterflies!   

Garden Walk

This week brings more bloomers in the garden.   May has brought wonderful weather this year.   The temperatures have been a bit cooler and everything has gotten off to a great start!

On my garden walk today, the morning glories have started putting on a show.   I love these purple flowers and although the vine can get out of hand I still grow them. They reseed easily and I just pull out any volunteers that I don't want. 

A package of morning glory seeds is the gift that

 keeps on giving!

'Forever'

White flowers are so pretty in the shade.  I really need to add more white in my garden.  These 'Forever' hydrangeas really make a beautiful statement and brighten up the space under our redbud tree.   I think some hostas would be great as companion plants and I have them on my list for garden additions this year.  

The white lavender in the background is 'Alba' and is planted in a sunny location.  It's now in it's  fourth growing season and is producing lots of stems for cutting.   'Alba' doesn't have a strong scent but is pretty in a mixed border with other flowers and I mix the flower buds with other lavender to make sachets.   I grow my lavender in raised beds with other drought tolerant plants that 

need good drainage.

The tropical milkweek and 'Provence' lavender are

 so pretty together and I'm still waiting for more Monarchs to arrive in my pollinator garden.  I am seeing many more bees and other butterflies this year which is a very

 positive sign.  This year as soon as I see a caterpillar I will cover the milkweed with a small screened enclosure to insure their survival.  

You can help the Monarchs too by planting milkweed in 

pots or in your garden. 

Rain and Monarchs

More rain is in our forecast for this holiday

 weekend  and the lake is full.   

Only a month ago it was 12 feet below normal levels!

My garden is definitely green but

 a few plants have gotten too 

much water and aren't growing as well.

Yesterday I took this picture of my oakleaf hydrangea in the rain.  Even though the blooms are large they 

do hold up well when wet.

This weekend I'm hoping to get some more planting and mulching done before the heat finally does arrive. 

  I also need to clean and decorate 

my front porch too.

This was our porch a few years ago decorated for the 4th of July.   

I like to  decorate it with our flag 

and buntings for Memorial Day too.   

Today the sun came out and the privet in our garden was full of bees and American Painted Ladies but I also counted six Monarchs flying about and enjoying the multitude of white fragrant blooms. 

Such a joy to see them throughout the garden and then going back and forth to the 

privet blooms. 

I'm so thankful that my butterfly garden is doing it's job and I'm hoping that the milkweeds I've planted will help them on their migration.   

Crossing my fingers that we don't get rained out the entire weekend so I can

 finish planting a few more annuals. 

Have a wonderful weekend and  

safe travels if you are on the road!