I love oriental poppies. I always think they look like they've got a big hairy spider in their centre. Mine are battling against the rain but the sun is struggling through today.
Start A Butterfly Garden!
by Bonsai 150 Replies latest jw friends
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LisaRose
Beautiful oriental poppies. I had them in Colorado, I used the pods in my dried floral arrangements. They are so exotic looking you would think they would be tough to grow, but they did beautifully there. My yard backed to an open area and we lost so many things due to the cold dry wind that would just suck the moisture out of things in the winter. Although we got snow at that elevation (6,500 feet) it would often melt off leaving the plants unprotected. I even lost my lavender, which is usually very hardy elsewhere. I had a beautiful Austrian Pine, it got hit by lightening, which didn't kill it, but left a depression in the crown. A few years later we had a wet, heavy snow and because of the depression it accumulated and broke the trunk in half. It must have been at least 12 inches in diameter, snapped like a twig. Colorado was beautiful but I am happy not to have to deal with the snow anymore.
I am so sad that my drip system broke and half my wall didn't get water for a week. The succulents did fine, but the plants in one of my chicken feeders died One of my succulent planters was an old house vent and I wondered how they would do since the planting area was quite small, no more than 3 inches deep, but that is the one that has done the best. It just shows you never know what will make plants happy.
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GrreatTeacher
Thanks for sharing. I love those garden pics.
In news from my garden, the hydrangeas are finally blooming! This is extremely late because of our cold spring, and they have not fully blossomed, but in a week or so I will have a gorgeous view from my hammock.
The weather is in the 70s and just perfect right now. I have my windows open and can hear the birds singing. I wish it would stay like this all summer, but the heat and humidity will surely be here soon. And then we will have to shut the windows and run the AC, which I am surely thankful for, but nothing beats fresh air!
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Xanthippe
LisaRose sorry you lost some plants, I know how upsetting that can be. Also I can relate to losing the Pine tree. I had an Ash tree pollarded in February because it was bigger than the house and they grow really fast. For months it looked awful, they didn't even leave twigs on it just three branches. I was so upset, I was sure they'd killed it but at the end of May it finally started to sprout. I really got down about that tree I thought I'd lost it but it's going to survive.
GreatTeacher my hydrangeas are nowhere near flowering. We've had a cold, very wet June. It's funny we're desperate for sun and you're dreading it getting too hot. Funny old planet!
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Xanthippe
Ooh two for the price of one! This is the Borage I grew from seed. They are just starting to flower. I love those blue star flowers and so will the butterflies and bees. You see I did listen to you Bonsai. I've also just planted out the Bee Balm, Monarda so they will love that too.
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TheWonderofYou
Does this flower have a butterfly a friend?
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Xanthippe
TheWonderofYou, I hope so, I haven't seen a butterfly for weeks, too damn cold and wet. But my garden is full of bees, so I'm doing my bit.
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Xanthippe
Wel the butterflies are coming in my garden now. Snapped this today, anyone know what it is? I can't find it in any of my butterfly books, think it may be a moth.
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Half banana
My Collins Guide to the Insects indicates you have a Magpie Moth.
Until this week southern Britain has had a damp dull early summer, hardly saw the sun in June (which is our sunniest month of the year!) hence as you say Xanthippe, very few butterflies...just a succession of Red admirals...always welcome, the odd Brimstone and a few Great whites or cabbage whites as I've always known them.
The real show is when the Tortoiseshell butterflies arrive in September and swarm on the Buddleia
How about you people in far flung places, what butterflies do you see ?
