For whatever reason, that, the attraction and support of monarchs, was the shape "what being a good gardener looks like" took for me this past year. I was already doing much better in the attracting bees and other pollinators department. Maybe I was just looking for a fresh challenge.
I watched and I waited and saw one monarch. The butterfly was nectaring on a lantana way across the yard from my especially prepared and well monitored monarch attracting and supporting bed. It fed there on the lantana (not even a native variety!) for some time and then it exited, stage South.
It seemed the attracting part of that new and improved bed proved itself pretty much a bust. It naturally follows the supporting part never really came into play. But I was ready! In case! Partial credit for that.
Progress has been made, the newer plants are filling in, blooming, and holding their own. Lack of monarch visits notwithstanding, I think the resulting bed looks pretty attractive. To me. The gardener. I flutter around here a lot.
So, shut up.
10 comments:
Ha! Don't forget thought that the milkweed will be there next spring when the monarchs come through, ready for egg laying-so it's not all for naught. Things are looking good in your garden. Ooo--bluebonnets! Lucky gardener!
I've had one or two monarchs for the past couple of weeks--so glad to see them. Not hoards or swarms or gaggles or whatever, but one or two/day. I have other visitors, but not as many as I used to get. It's a little discouraging, but I'm grateful for the ones who visit.
What Tina says: it is all about the long game. And you can't attract what isn't there. Even at our local well established butterfly garden I've only seen a couple of monarchs. Your garden is looking nice and tidy. Love the blue bonnet leaves. I think I might like them even more than the flowers.
Tina: I am fairly impatient, but you are right - the long game here is what I'm going to stress (over).
Do you ever trim your milkweed plants? Will they tolerate being kept on the shorter side of their range? I'm wondering if clipping them judiciously will result in shorter plants with more branches?
Debra: Honestly I've never seen many monarchs in my area, ever, much less this year. I did hope that "If I planted it, they would come".
So same question for you about the tropical milkweed. Can I keep it trimmed and on the short(er) side a bit? Like no taller than 3 feet maybe?
Even without flowers the foliage combination is especially pretty. But what do you do to control the mint?
Kris: The mint (which escaped a planter and colonized not one but two beds!) is nowhere near being under my control. Neither are the primroses or the bluebonnets, or.... Eventually I realized trying to eradicate such a pretty, tasty and tough plant was counterproductive. I don't have formal plantings, and the wildflowers and native plants in that bed aren't easily overrun, so mint can have its place.
I treat it like any other boisterous plant. I freely cut it back and pull it out when it threatens to overrun, but let it shine when everything else is wilting in the heat.
Cool plants to duke it out, plus happy you have some monarchs hanging around.
DHB/David: And since I've posted here it has gone back to zero monarch activity out back. I think I have some sort of "want it too much" whammy business going on here!
It's good to see monarchs getting so much love and attention from gardeners this year. They're on everyone's radar. Your bed is looking very pretty! I can see why you flutter around it.
Thank you Pam! I'm not sure the monarchs love me back much but that's OK. So long as they make it through another season...
Honestly, I don't know how you get away from all the new sweet features in your own spaces to post on other's gardens so generously. I'd be out sitting and staring at your colorful (are they painted yet?) or at least soon-to-be colorful walls all day long.
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