Looks similar to Sanicula, such as Sanicula canadensis.

The debated species is A. curassavica or Tropical Milkweed which is the popular species in Florida and much of the southern states because it does so well and comes back from roots each spring. Some say that it is causing the Monarchs to stick around longer than they should, but some say that once the Monarchs undergo the hormonal change that allows them to migrate and live so long in Mexico, then that is where they will head, regardless of what's in bloom. They will just have more sources to fuel up on the way south, but only in the southern states. The midwest is another story, where much of the areas monarchs might stop to refuel have been replaced by crop fields. I have read that some farmers in the midwest are starting to allow for 'wild borders' around the crops, but time will tell if this will be a boon or just not quite enough. Some Monarchs in South Florida never go through the hormonal change required to migrate and will instead stay. Some even say that South Florida is actually a natural stopping spot for migrating Monarchs from the Eastern US, it's just not as well known as the Mexican migrations. But those in South Florida not only survive the mild winters, they continue to breed and this leads researchers to think that maybe there just isn't enough genetic diversity left among those populations to ensure stronger offspring. And with all the development of suburban/retirement communities in Florida, we're quickly becoming a nectar/milkweed barren place as well. This is another case where lots of fingers are being pointed at one sure reason for the population decline, when the more likely truth is that there are a number of reasons causing them to disappear. Personally, I think the populations of Monarchs in Australia are proof that the species is able to adapt to climate and location, leading me to believe it is the many sterile yards and urban areas that deserve much of the blame. There are even many beautiful, plant filled gardens down here in Florida that are really little more than deserts to butterflies. Here is a link that might be useful: UF Article on Monarchs This post was edited by Leekle2ManE on Thu, Jan 29, 15 at 9:53

By now I have all but 100+ little bulbs planted, and they can be quickly shoehorned in this weekend since it's supposed to get into the 50's. I am not sure if I have ever managed to get everything planted before the ground freezes, so this late autumn has been a blessing in more ways than just for the enjoyment of warm weather. Maisie, I appreciate that you commented on particular plants that you grew this year. I grow a number of annuals, some in pots and others that are self-seeders and think they add a lot of bloom power to the garden, particularly for the hummingbirds. I love Nicotiana, and am particularly fond of its wafting evening scent and late summer flowers that continue until we have a hard freeze. Mine are one of the smaller types which started as a 6-pack almost 20 years ago and have continued to reseed unaggressively around the garden but are easy to pull when they show up in the wrong spot. They range from white through pink to deep red, and bloom at something like 2'. It looks like your N. sylvestris 'Only the Lonely' is a much larger one. One of my favorite blogs is that of Deborah Silver, a Detroit area landscape designer. She doesn't grow N. sylvestris due to problems with aphids, but does grow many other kinds, including some of the big ones. One of her comments was that you can trim back the big basal leaves to keep them from shading out nearby plants. She also uses them a lot in planters, and being raised above other plants might eliminate some of the issues with the large basal leaves smothering neighbors if you put the pot in a garden bed. Here's a link to a bunch of her posts that discuss Nicotiana in general and as her posts usually do, include many photos. I've tried Browallia several times since I am a fan of the blossom color and shape, as well as the tidy form of the plant, but it doesn't often bloom well here even in pots on a warm brick patio. I think our nights get too cool since this is a plant that is reputed to like it hot though not too sunny. My bulbs aren't dug up by squirrels; instead they get eaten by voles. I think you can protect bulbs from digging right after planting by putting something on top such as chicken wire if it's a large area, or a rock, brick, or something else that hides the freshly turned soil as well as prevents digging. Once the soil has settled well, it usually is not be as much of an issue, so you can remove the cover in a month or so I would imagine. I mostly plant bulbs that are rodent resistant such as daffodils, Crocus tommasinianus, and Alliums so they don't get eaten, but I know squirrels will sometimes dig up bulbs they won't eat when freshly planted. I transplanted peonies in midsummer from my grandparents home when it went on the market as a way to bring something of my grandfather's garden to mine. I don't remember if they bloomed the following year (and this was long before we had a digital camera so I can't check) but they have bloomed well every year since, so yours should be fine in the long run as long as they were replanted at the right depth. I didn't do any major garden projects this year, having expanded two large gardens over the last 3 years. I have decided that until we sell this house (and who knows when that will be!) I don't have the energy to maintain any more gardens, so I need to stay within the current footprint. I am currently gardening both at our house and also at the wood shop 1/2 mile away (and where at some future time we will build) so I have enough to keep me more than busy in the garden. This year I did some additional planting in current beds and also did some editing, mostly removal of plants that either weren't performing well like the climbing rose that never bloomed and some self-seeders. Next year I plan to do more editing: removing problem plants (particularly of the Vinca that is far too aggressive and gives the voles winter shelter), and moving plants that aren't appropriate for their location such as the shade plants growing where we had to take down a storm-damaged tree. Y'all can do me a favor and if in the depths of winter I start talking about mail order nurseries, remind me that I swore I wouldn't buy more than a very few plants this year. Last year's 40 or so was too many! Hopefully others will jump in with comments, though this tends to be a busy time of year in non-gardening areas and so posting slows down.

Thank you! If the hornworms left a leaf, I will check if it smells like potato. Never thought any caterpillar would eat that stuff. These spikes poked through my gloves trying to pull it out before.