This is a great thread to keep going. I observed the same springtime gap in blossoms that many have mentioned. Dianthus do bloom at the perfect time, so I've been trying to plant them, but haven't had much luck getting them to grow. This year I may just buy some plants and be done with it. I would encourage anyone who has the space, to grow as much Common Milkweed as possible. It is a great nectar source and is the primary species of milkweed that Monarchs depend upon. Because it spreads via the root system, it can bounce back even after being tilled into the ground. Prior to the widespread use of Round-Up, 90% of the milkweed used by Monarchs was growing between the rows of crops and along the roads. Since Round-Up and since the increase in the value of corn for production of ethanol, the availability of milkweed has dropped precipitously throughout the entire Midwest. This is threatening the existence of the miraculous migration. Monarchs will continue to exist in the south and west, but may disappear from the rest of North America. I apologize if I'm preaching to the choir, but I try to spread the word when I can. Hope everyone is having a blessed holiday season. Martha

Lobelia would be a good nectar plant. Also False Nettles would love soggy soil and they host the Red Admiral butterfly. Ironweed (vernonia) is a great nectar plant, too, and likes moist soil. If you have room to plant another tree or shrub, try something in the prunus family (cherry). They host a myriad of butterflies and moths. The native aristolochia (pipevine) serpentaria (ground cover) or A. macrophylla (vine) is host to the pipevine swallowtails, and it looks like they are present in your area. They can take pretty moist soil, too, and some shade as well. Monkey flowers (mimulus) may host the Buckeyes and they will take a lot of moisture and part shade as well. You can also grow parsley there for the Black Swallowtail caterpillars. I've been to see the "rock" in Plymouth! It's gorgeous there. Susan

Those are beautiful pictures, Christie - your zinnias are always the prettiest ones! I love the Scarlet Flame and the Zowie - I may have been the one who recommended Yowie Zowie, because it was real popular with the butterflies the year I had it. As long as your zinnias have those yellow thingies in the center, they'll be butterfly friendly. I bought three un-named zinnia plants this past spring that made red flowers - in the heat of summer, the blooms are orange. They've only grown to be about 2' tall, and they spill over the bed they're planted in, so they're probably one of the mounding types. They're especially popular with the gulf and variegated frits, common checkered skippers, and various other skippers. I didn't plant Mexican sunflowers this year, which look like another type of zinnia to me, because I used their space for the mounding zinnias. This picture of them was taken in spring, when the blooms were more red than orange, and before they grew so thick - Looking at this variegated fritillary reminds me of the one that's been visiting the garden for the past several days. She's been going through the motions of egg-laying on the violets - the passionvines are full of gulf frits. I say she's been going through the motions, because I went right behind her and couldn't find an egg! Maybe she's just practicing! :/ Sherry

This is the short ones Swallowtail seeds has. ZINNIA, EDWARDIAN MAGELLAN ZINNIA, PROFUSION ZINNIA, SHORT STUFF MIX ZINNIA, ZAHARA ZINNIA, ZINNITA So Zahara is out. I did plant seeds of those one year and didn't get a lot of flowers. I bought Short Stuff plants one year for pots and again didn't get a lot of flowers. Sometimes the Profusion does really good if I get them in the right spot with enough sun. I will try the Thumbelina and Megellan. I haven't tried Zinnita or Edwardian. Oh, and they also have the Swizzle series and the Dreamland series. I haven't tried either. This post was edited by ruthz on Tue, Sep 17, 13 at 10:46