Garden

[FindingMyJoy]

Thank you to all who have responded!

It looks like the majority think it may be too early. I hope you all are right. I would love to see more this summer. I will try to wait patiently.

We do have a butterfly plant. We bought a trio 2 years ago. They all did ok the first year and then last year they were very nice! But 2 apparently didn't survive the winter. The 1 remaining plant  is growing larger than prior years. We enjoyed them so much when they were all in bloom that we will most likely buy more when offered next Spring. No local nurseries had any left once we realized we lost 2 of them.

[Puzzle Piece]

I have seen the yellow swallow tails as they like to visit my yard.  Monarchs?  Not yet. 

[Puzzle Piece]

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@silkyk wrote:

Lots of them on my Butterfly Bush the last week or so..... Monarchs and Swallowtails. Plant this and they WILL come!

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Thanks for the suggestion.   I will plant this lovely item.  Pretty color.  Just hope it will grow in my zone. 

[blankette]

I saw one huge one today over the milk thistle. My puny butterfly plants from cottage farms will hopefully get bigger. 

[blankette]

Here is my picture from a few years ago when I had swarms. Aren't they beautiful!

[blankette]

Here is another picture....

[silkyk]

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@blankette wrote:

Here is my picture from a few years ago when I had swarms. Aren't they beautiful!

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A few years back I looked out my front window and a CLOUD of these beauties went floating by in my front yard. Took about 2-3 minutes to pass on by. Thousands of them. It took my breath away. I felt SO lucky to see this and have never seen it again. Guess that was a great year for butterflies!

[mousiegirl]

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@blankette wrote:

I planted Milk Thistle for them which is the very best thing you can do, I have only seen one so far. I am extremely dissappointed with the cottge farms butterfly bush. It has grown and produced perfectly awful buds and flowers. Wish I had just bought local, this really ticks me off. MY milk thistle from seed is growing but not the plant from you know where.

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@blankette  I think you meant Milk Weed, at least this is the plant that is noted for butterflies.

[violann]

Over the last 2 or 3 weeks we've had lots and lots and LOTS of beautiful Monarchs in my section of Northern NJ. Many more than I usually see.

[Lilysmom]

@violann, I'm in Nova Scotia.  Not many here yet.  We had a very cold spring and now a very dry summer so our shrubs and perennials are late.  Hoping to see more soon.  My milkweed is still in bud, not bloomed yet.  LM