Native Gardening

[addy1]

Those are beautiful!

 

[Stephen T.]

Thanks Addy,

We see some great stuff on here! This forum is loaded with good info and ideas (nice folks too).

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Wild Bergamot has started blooming!

Purple Coneflower

Gray-headed Coneflower

Orange Milkweed... I've had very few bumble bees this year. Usually they're everywhere. Not sure why. Saw this small one this morning on the milkweed.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

When it comes to native plants, and milkweed specifically, most people are excited to see Monarchs in their gardens, but for me, and equally exciting find happened in my native garden for the first time today! One of my favorite beetles, Milkweed Leaf Beetle, was spotted on a Whorled Milkweed.

 

[Becky]

Love the beetle photos!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

More and more color all the time around the garden.

Wild Bergamot

Purple Coneflower

Meadow Blazing Star

Blanket Flower

Gray-headed Coneflower (Orange Milkweed in the background)

The garden.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I just can't stop photographing it. What an amazing habitat I've created if I do say so myself!

Meadow Blazing Star is my newest bloom. This is the plant that is widely referred to as the "Ultimate Monarch Butterfly Magnet". Not too many Monarchs around for it to attract, and it's only one lonely stalk right now, but in a couple years, I imagine it'll work its magic.

 

[Lisak1]

We've noticed the low number of bees, too @JBtheExplorer - wonder what's up with that? And we haven't seen any monarchs or yellow swallowtails yet either. Soon, I hope!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Just had my first (ever) Black Swallowtail!

Had a Red Admiral, too! Fairly common, but still great to see in the garden.

 

[peter hillman]

Pollinators...(Cleomi) My sister lets these grow as they will, she provides additional water for them. She told me today they were excellent pollinators and sure enough when I took a look the bloooms were COVERED in various insects trying to get that sweet nectar. One had three varieties of winged bugs and an ant all sharing the bloom

They seed themselves freely, but do need water.

Next to them, she had these, also buzzing with activity.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Finally, a Monarch in my native garden! Monarch magnet - Meadow Blazing Star - works! Even better, there's two! (Photos below are of the same Monarch. The other Monarch was busy laying eggs on Orange Milkweed)

 

[Becky]

Beautiful! I always love seeing photos of your native garden in bloom

 

[JBtheExplorer]

My first Swamp Milkweed bloom!

Had a male Monarch today.

 

[HARO]

Hey, we saw OUR first Monarch of the year this morning! Should have seen DOZENS by now!
John

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Swamp Milkweed is in full bloom now. Wish I had more than one plant in bloom. Hoping to collect seeds from it this year to spread it around, but I have a feeling these Milkweed Bugs will eat every seed it produces.