2nd year perennial Butterfly, Bee, Hummingbird bed

[LIcenter]

Two and a half weeks ago it looked like this.


Today it looks like this.
















Below is a list of all the plants in this bed.

1:Weigela 'Wine & Roses'
2:Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella'(Swamp weed)
3:Asclepias tuberosa (milk weed)
4:Asclepias curassavica (Butterfly flower)
5:Cuphea Ignea (firecracker)
6:Astible (J) 'Mainz'(False Goats Beard)
7:Salvia 'Blue Hill'
8:Veronica-(Speedwell) (Red Fox)
9:Potentilla megalantha (Strawberry Cinquefoil)
10:Phlox sulata (Creeping Phlox-pink)
11:Achillea Milenrama King Edward 'Yarrow'
12:Gaillardia 'Celbration/Sunset Sunrise (Blanket flower)
13Coreopsis gradaflora 'Early Sunrise'
14:Coreopsis x Jethro Tull 'Broadleaf Coreopsis'
15:Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldstrum'
16:Monarda x Cherry Pops 'Bee Balm'
17:Achillea millefolium 'Red Yarrow
18:Achillea (?) White & Yellow Yarrow
19:Hydrangea, Lacecap Hydrangea macrophylla 'Strawberries & Cream'.
20:Dinanthus 'Sweet William'
21:Dianthus 'Raspberry Surprise'
22:Delphinium grandiflororum 'Blue Butterfly'
23:Coreopsis 'Citrine'

[GardeningCook]

That's lovely!!! I'm surprised that your Butterfly/Milkweeds are starting to bloom so early. Around here in Virginia the wild ones won't be blooming for at least another month or so

[LIcenter]

Thanks GardeningCook, the swamp milkweed has no buds as yet. The Tuberosa is full of buds, but no flowers. The butterfly flower on the other hand has indeed surprised me with it's early blooms.

[applestar]

Looks beautiful! That's going to fill in a be a wonderful oasis for the nectar and pollen lovers alike. Do keep track of all the visitors -- I'd love to know (and see some photos, too! )

[LIcenter]

Thank you applestar, I've seen at least four different butterfly's already. Another coupla weeks, and I should have more time to just watch, and take photos.

[skiingjeff]

What a nice oasis!

[LIcenter]

20 days later it now looks like this. Quite a transformation in roughly one months time

[GardeningCook]

Absolutely lovely!

I noticed here yesterday that the wild Butterfly Weeds & Swamp Milkweeds are "just" starting to show tiny little buds, so we probably have at least another several weeks before we see blooms from them.

[LIcenter]

Absolutely lovely!

I noticed here yesterday that the wild Butterfly Weeds & Swamp Milkweeds are "just" starting to show tiny little buds, so we probably have at least another several weeks before we see blooms from them.

Hmm, looks like we may be a good week ahead of you. I expect the swamp weed to really pop in the next couple days. BTW Thanks!

[pinksand]

Your garden is beautiful and filling in so nicely! You also helped me ID a plant I was just recently gifted... Asclepias curassavica. It was labeled Asclepias tuberosa (orange milkweed) "Annual" which just didn't add up and clearly wasn't quite like the tuberosa I already have in my garden. It looks like it's only hardy to zone 8 and I'm in zone 7 so that would have been a disappointment had I not known it wasn't going to come back since the person who gave it to me said it was a perennial.

[LIcenter]

Thank you pinksand, yes it is an annual here also, but reseeds so readily I sorta consider it a perennial.

[Susan W]

The garden is lovely! Hope the plants aren't from the box stores, as many treated (by the growers) with systemics with neonics (kill pests and pollinators)

On to the milkweeds. The tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica is an annual, spare the gulf region. There is controversy about planting it for several reasons, and I so far just shake my head. The butterfly weed, A. tuberosa is blooming here now. I've had butterflies nectar on it, but no monarch cats (from past years). I heard from one person who knows (and sells) native plants, it is not used by the larva as the leaves are hairy and coarse. A. incarnata is the swamp aka rose milkweed, a perennial. FWIW, I start from seed and (try to) sell all 3 at the farmers market, and try to keep up with the monarch-milkweed issues. Not trying to be a smarty pants!

[LIcenter]

Thank you Susan, two years ago when I started this project I was quite diligent in my research, as far as attractants, and a food source for the monarch cats. The majority of my plants come from local native growers, one of which is The Long Island Perennial Farm in Riverhead LI. Not sure if a link would be allowed, but if interested it's an easy find on the google. Just getting over the flu, and would love to show you all my baby incarnata's on the backside of that bed. I'll see how I feel tomorrow.

[applestar]

Fabulous! Keep the photos coming! Please post close ups too. (I know I shouldn't be so demanding.... )

Sorry you were sick but glad to hear that you are starting to feel better, your immune system recharged, and ready to fend off the baddies.

[LIcenter]

The first pic is not from the perennial bed, but it does put on quite a show with nary any help from me.


Okay some up closeness per your request applestar.










Red Cardinal flowers on my makeshift string trellis.