Susan, I took some seeds from last year's Ipomoea alba and scattered them in spots where I'd like for them to grow. They self sowed last year, so I figure they might actually come up this easily.

I bought some red verbena to go in the metal gizmo that a hummingbird feeder hangs from. Butterflies really like verbena, or anything in that family, for that matter, like lantana, porterweed, etc.

I'm making a lot of changes in my garden, and I accidentally dug up the Brazilian button, which is too bad, because it's a good nectar plant for butterflies, especially the smaller ones. If I can find a plant for sale, or if some volunteer here, I'll put it in a place where it can thrive.

My Salvia guaraniticas, including 'Black & Blue' have returned and are growing vigorously, as is the 'Hot Lips' salvia, which has colonized a bit, surprised me there.

I've ordered some tropical milkweed from Almost Eden, and I added some rose red colored pentas to the order, which are annuals here, never return. But they're so popular with butterflies and hummers both, I buy them every year.

I love 'Lady in Red' - if I can find it somewhere, I'll definitely buy some and put it in front of other plants, maybe my new Aristolochia tomentosas. I've been working outside all week long, and I've made a new bed for two of the three A. tomentosas. I'll plant the other one on the edge of the woods, also, I dug up a volunteer A. tomentosa that's come up too far from the fence around the garden to be useful. If it takes, I'll plant it on the woods edge, too. I also dug up a volunteer of my own hybrid passionvine to plant in a bed up front. The flowers look like 'Incense' the female parent, but it's got the vigor of P. incarnata the male parent, and gulf frits like to lay eggs on the leaves like P. incarnata.

I can't think of any other annuals I've planted - I mostly go for perennials, but there are some that are great for butterflies. I just thought about Mexican sunflowers - if I can find a place for them, I'll plant those for sure, even though they're a bit of trouble to start from seed. Mexican sunflowers are probably the best flowers to use for making pictures of butterflies, being so big and providing that platform for even the biggest ones.

Speaking of making pictures, I've ordered a new camera, this one with a good zoom, so I can, hopefully, make some good hummingbird pictures. Here's hoping it's as good as advertised!

Sherry

It's already April 5th and there's still a trace of ice from the snow berms. We're expecting warmer temps this next week and already I can see peeks of Everlasting and Wood Nettle, as well as Pussytoes (Antennaria) budding up and rearin' to go. Can American Ladies and Red Admirals be far behind?
I am definitely planting some Mexican Sunflower this year when it gets warmer. Monarchs in particular can't resist these as nectar plants. I'll also plant some more Cosmos and hope some comes up from last year.
Lady in Red is quite popular with the Hummers and Hummer Moths.

We woke to another layer of snow this morning. Just a dusting, but the fact that it's hanging around means the ground is still frozen. So, no transplanting or starting new shrubs for many weeks, yet. Maybe I need to move south. But, I do hate beastly heat. We do like to whine, don't we? Glad to know things are getting going in other places.

Martha

Hi all!

I always plant red Pentas - an entire row of them across the entire front of my house! I have also started an entire flat of zinnias (all different colors and varieties) as well as cosmos. This year I also ran across Tithonia and Brazilian Verbena seeds so I have those started as well. My husband added a very large corner garden that connected two established ones - so I've got tons of room to fill up with new plantings.

Additionally, I ordered a wafer ash tree, passiflora lutea, and a pipevine.

Does anyone know if Hyacinth Bean attracts anything? Those vines are so beautiful - I have seeds but haven't made a decision to actually DO anything with them yet. LOL

~Laura :-)

I've started Mexican sunflower (shorter version) in the greenhouse, hoping to get earlier blooms. Tried the standard version one year and it was too big for my small garden. I hope this one is a better fit. Plan to grow 'Heavenly Blue' morning glories for a change. Lady in Red is ready to pot up, waiting for warmer weather. Snapdragons are ready to plant out. Can't remember but aren't they attractive to some moths? Lot's of Penta's and lantana, both annuals in my area. Old fashioned Cosmos started in individual pots ready to plant out. I don't know if they will be attractive to the butterflies here but will be fun to watch and see.

Probably more than I have room for but fun to try and fit into garden!

Mary

Mary, Snapdragons are also a larval host plant for Buckeye butterflies.

I'm not planting any Mexican Sunflowers this year (nor did I last year). I just don't have that green thumb for them.

I imagine my Verbena bonariensis (Brazilian Verbena) will reseed some, along with the Cut & Come Again Zinnias, Portulacas, and Marigolds. Hopefully, the Senna bicapsularis will as well. MG 'Chocolate' is already sprouting around the garden, and the Pink-Spotted Hawkmoths along with others really did like these last year.

I have a Munstead Lavendar that the butterflies should like as well. It didn't bloom last year, but I had it in a location that was too shady, so I moved it around September to a sunny spot.

This will be the second year for my Caelsapinia gillesii, and I don't know if it will bloom this year or not. We'll see.

I think I have a species of Pussytoes that volunteered in the yard. It is a low growing, ground hugging plant with fuzzy or furry looking greyish green leaves. It appears to be a creeper, too. Maybe it will be bloom and I can ID it for sure. I hope it is Pussytoes. I also have some Malva zebrinas 'Braveheart' that overwintered as evergreens that PLs may use, too. I have grown the Malvas before and never had PLs, so I am skeptical.

I did transplant some rooted cuttings of Passiflora incarnate and P. 'Lavender Lady' from my other garden. I hope they all come back. I had GFs laying eggs on the small cuttings last year - they will lay eggs on nearby plants, being the indiscriminating critters they are. LOL!

I wish I had more Rue - so I'll probably just take some cuttings of the one I have. They're pretty easy to root. We had lots of visits from GSTs last year. Don't know if it was just an abundant year, or if this is a better location for them. I am pretty far west of where I used to be.

MissSherry, I grew red Verbena one year, and it attracted nothing at all. Weird, huh? It may have been a hybrid with very little nectar.

Susan