Thursday, July 24, 2008

Butterflies, Bees, and Beetles!

*** Updated July 25, 2008
I found the name of the butterfly. It is a Red Spotted Purple-limenitis arthemis and can be found here!

Posting twice in one week...yeah! Life is getting better. I am still busy with a lot on my plate, but I think for now things are somewhat under control. I have finally gotten the big 'move' organized, accepted the fact that my Dad will have to stay with us for a couple of weeks while his new apartment is finished, decided not to stress too much about the lack of help from my the siblings, it has rained so I haven't had to water, the weather has moderated, I didn't have to work this evening, I've gotten my house in a semi-state of clean, and I spent some quality time in my garden today. Yes, life is improving.

I couldn't resist showing my favorite day lily again, so bear with me please. I smile every time I see her blooms.

This picture shows the color much truer than the one I showed last post.


As the title suggested, I did manage to photo some butterflies . This one was so patient with me as I tried to get just the right shot.


I am sure someone out there knows his name....


A Painted Lady on a sunflower. She, however, wouldn't open her wings for me and preferred I take a side view.


Bees on my cone flowers...I am so happy!

Japanese Beetles on my sunflower...I am so not happy! I noticed something had been eating the immature seeds and had hoped it was birds, but I think it was this guy. Is there anything they won't destroy?!

Do you remember the last time Rose and I went plant shopping? I vowed not to buy any more annuals. My intentions were good-but the 'gotta have it' syndrome kicked in today. Those zinnias were on sale and looked so pretty. Did I mention they were on sale?


The smaller pots are Angelina Sedum, a perennial. I did get one back in the spring and then saw it planted as a border at the Idea Garden. I am going to try to do that with these along the roadside burm alternating with Artemisia Silver Mound. Can you believe these were on sale for $1.00?! I stopped by Rose's to show her and she is going plant shopping tomorrow...after all a sale is a good thing!


This is one of the planters now that it has filled in some. The wave petunias in the top just haven't done as well as I had hoped, but all in all it looks pretty good. Next year I think I will put something taller in the top to emphasize it more. And maybe still have something that trails down onto the lower part. Summer is only half over and I am already planning for next year!


This is also a whiskey 1/2 barrel. And it didn't turn out the way I pictured. The waves just haven't done well this year, but even if they had, this sweet potato vine would have taken them over. I added this long after I planted the waves and just look at how it has grown!


Lisa showed a field of wildflowers a while back that was beautiful. I found this patch just on the outskirts of town. The state highway department is trying to do more 'prairie' restoration along their right of ways-less mowing.

There are 'blackeyed susans' (Gail did a great post on these) and I know that white flower must be a daisy relative, but we know it as a weed.


Cone flowers, of course! I wish I knew what the name of these are. They are just a little different than the ones I have-thinner petals and a darker color.


And these. Does anyone know what they are? All these planted together with a sprinkling of vetch made an impressive display.
I hope your gardens are doing well and that you are taking time to enjoy them. Have a wonderful weekend!
"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly. "One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."- Hans Christian Andersen

19 comments:

Cheryl said...

Hi Beckie what a beautiful post.....firstly I love the meadow, I was transported into your world amongst the blooms, tku for sharing, it lifts my heart to see such beauty....

I love your day lily to, so deep is its colour.....

and the beautiful bee and butterfly, you have done so well and I can tell you enjoying your little bit of heaven on earth....

Oh dear those japanese beetle, I have never seens anything like it....no wonder you and Rose despair.....

Glad you have caught up with chores.... and hope all goes well, thinking of you.....

Beth said...

It is so nice to see your posts and pictures again. That daylilly is beautiful.

Aiyana said...

Glad to see you back and posting. Your photos are lovely. I'm hoping someone can identify the purple flowered plant for you. It's certainly interesting, and I'm curious to know its genus and species myself.
Aiyana

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Hi Beckie, Glad to hear that the dust is settling around your house.

I don't blame you for showing pictures of this daylily. It is a beauty. I don't have one that is so dark. Maybe we could exchange fans if you see one in my garden that you might like to have.

The purple looking bloom you were asking about looks like a Veronica that I have.

Seeing your sale items makes me realize I should get out to see if there is something I just can't live without on sale now.

Rose said...

Love the butterflies, but oh those Japanese beetles! I didn't know they liked sunflowers, too; they sure made a feast of that one.
The true prairie coneflower is an echinacea pallida, but these look darker than what I thought they would be.
Thanks for the butterfly quotes you left me.

Let's see how I do shopping today...

Roses and Lilacs said...

Hi Beckie, kudos to your highway department. Ours has done some patches of native prairie plants along US 20 that look great.

I just bought some of the same angelina sedum. So cute I couldn't resist. The butterflies should love your new zinnias--I love them. They are like the old fashioned ones my Mom always planted.
Marnie

Anonymous said...

Wow Beckie, those containers look great. I guess the sweet potato vine is a little vigorous, huh? Usually those Purple Waves are too. I love that meadow with the wildflowers. How gorgeous! I think that one butterfly might be a Black Monarch, I think. It's great to see you posting again, twice in a week! I love all your butterfly and insect shots. Those Japanese Beetles are a pesky bunch. I haven't had too much damage this year. They did eat some of the petals on one of my Coneflowers. Weird!

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

My guess is that the purple flower is Verbena hastata. I posted a photo of one on Bloom Day. That black & blue butterfly is so gorgeous! I'd love to have that visit, but I'm stuck with the Japanese beetles instead. I'm glad you've had a bit more time this week to enjoy your garden.

Susie said...

Hey Beckie, I think I can feel you de-stressing all the way down here. Your plants look great! I don't know the name of that butterfly so I'll just call him beautiful. You got a good price on that Angelina. Ours is 4.99 a pot.

beckie said...

Cheryl, I am so glad you liked the blooms, bees, and butterflies. Thankfully the beetleas will be gone about the first of Sept. The are a pain! Things will finally settle down after next weekend-I hope. Have a great weekend.

Beth, I find it so relaxing to be able to post and read others'. It calms me-actually it's a good escape. :)

Aiyana, If some one does, I'll let you know. It's probably not a true wildflower, but I'm assuming it self-seeds well. As Lisa said it may be some kind of Veronica...we'll see.

beckie said...

Lisa, i would love to trade-we'll have to do that this fall when we come down. It might be some type of Veronica, a good self seeder or the state wouldn't have planted them. Rose and I had been watching for sales, but I just happened on this one. I just can't resist a bargin. :)

Rose, I couldn't believe those beetles were eating the sunflower seeds! I guess they are just pigs. Hope you had a good sale-plant-shopping day!

Marnie, I hope the state continues with the prairie plantings. They are a lot prettier than just grass. And it will be so good foer the bees and butterflies. The zinnias were just to pretty to pass up. And I always have room for a couple more pots!

PG, I need to find a site to identify butterflies,as I am seeing more of them now. Did your waves do well this year?I am disappointed in mine. Glad the beetles aren't such a problem for you. Your coneflower damage could be earwigs. They have eaten some of mine.

beckie said...

MMD, I will go to 'Illinois wildflowers' and type that in. Thanks! The butterflys are starting to come more frequently now. Maybe because of the coneflowers, sunflowers and the butterfly bush. But those darn beattles seem to like all those too!

Susie, they are a little small, but will grow I' sure. The one I got this spring was a lot more expensive, so I am thrilled. And I am excited that and idea I had for the gardens is going to work out. I get these big ideas and then don't or can't follow through on them.(or change my mind)I plan on finding out the butterfly's name before I post next.

Meems said...

Hi Beckie, I can see why you would want to show us the daylily again (sorry to say I missed the first showing)... it is so vibrant and deeply colored. I had one similar this year and I took lots of photos.

Wish we had that Red Spotted Purple around here... it's a beauty... but I'm glad we don't have the japanese beetle. I've seen it around on a lot of northern blogs ... I honestly thought every bug originated in Florida... maybe not? :-)

Speaking of Florida...your potato vine looks like it lives here! ...Growing over those petunias and spilling way over its bounds!I DO love them for their easy way and that chartruese is my fave.

All your other arrangements and flowers and oh, that wildflower field!... a delight to see...thanks.

Oh, I almost forgot. When I first saw the purple flower I thought "Blue Porter Weed" which isn't a weed at all. But I'm not sure if it grows in the north??? Would be curious to know what you find out if you I.D. it for certain. Have a great weekend!
Meems @Hoe&Shovel

Gail said...

beckie,

Hello...I have to tell you that the petunias in the big planter look spectacular. I enlarged the photo and thought "Beckie has my favorite colors and don't they look wonderful!"

I found a Japanese Beetle this morning on the margarite sweet potato vine. Now I know why I have holes in them! Drat!

The field of flowers is wonderful...I wish we had more flowers along the interstates...we had a few poppies earlier.

I am glad you posted the unknown flower and MR M's Daughter identified it...now I can put it on the list!

It's good to read you!

Gail

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

Beckie, Your pictures are lovely. I had to laugh at the picture of the sweet potato vine. I had the same thing happen in two container plantings with the sweet potato vine taking over. I should have just planted those instead of all the other flowers that I had planted along with the vines! LOL!

Robin's Nesting Place said...

The bees really love the coneflower. I would have misidentified your purple flower. I thought it looked like liatris.

Thanks so much for all of your kind comments on Robin's Nesting Place. They always brighten my day!

beckie said...

Meems, thanks for visiting! Aren't those dark lilies are wonderful? I am hoping to divide it next spring. It's not in the daylily bed I have started, but out by the road for everyone to enjoy. I'm surprised you don't have Japanese Beetles-maybe not enough grass? That's were they lay their eggs and then the grubs eat the roots of the grass so we get a double whammy from them. And no Red Spotted Purple? Isn't that a terrible name for such a pretty blue butterfly! Those sweet potato vines really add a brightness to planters and they fill in so quickly, I love them too. But this one has gone way overboard.

Gail, thanks! I do love my pinks and purples. I have had that combination in those planters for years. Maybe I ought to try something new. :) The beetles are eating my dark sweet potato vines too. One of them really looks bad, and I may have to cut it back to try to get some new growth after the beetles leave.I do applaud Illinois for doing their Prairie restoration, but I'm sure it has something to do with saving fuel by not having as much to mow. I'm not sure the ID on the plant is right. I looked it up and it's not quite the same. But of course Illinois doesn't list what they are planting?!

Morning Glories, I had the same thoughts...next year just the vine! They will probably be spindly though. :)

Robin, speaking of Liatris, didn't you get some bulbs at Aldi's early this spring? I did and they are just starting to bloom. I am so pleased. I have never had these before and when I saw them there I decided to give them a try. Hope all is going well with you. I've got my fingers crossed.

Surya said...

It's nice to see bees at your garden. You already save bees. Great job! Nice pics.. Thanks..

Wendy said...

Lovely pics, Beckie. I think your zinnias are really really pretty. Who says you can't garden-shop in the middle of summer - especially if they're on sale! LOL!
Your energy is astounding. I am glad for you. My house is really only getting the bare minimum this summer. I'd rather be outside.
Loved your butterflies and that sweet little honeybee.