Laura, I am still waiting for mine to green up too... but I'm borderline on zone here, I think, so will just wait and see. I've heard that here in Z4 they sometimes don't green up until early June. I just put mine in last year. But what I wanted to pass on is that I ordered mine from Bluestone Perennials. They have an excellent reputation (you can check Garden Watchdog - they are one of their top 30 most highly rated companies, and I can vouch for the quality of their plants. They are small when they arrive but they sure do take off and grow! Everything was blooming that very first summer. They have buddelia (buttefly bush) for 5.95 and 6.95 each, depending on variety. Here is a link that might be useful: Bluestone Perennials

A lot of flower societies, e.g., the National Begonia Society, the Gesneriad Society, The Daylily Society, all have regional and national get-togethers. I thought it was pretty cool when Sandy, Linda, Marilyn, Faith, and I all got together in Norman, since we are all avid butterfliers. It was like a "regional" get-together, even if for a short time. We all had the opportunity to put a face with a screen name. And, of course, talk butterflies. If some of you from Florida could arrange to get together, some of you from California, Texas, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, etc., you would actually be creating a "regional" get-together to talk butterflies. Doing so at a Farmer's Market or Butterfly hotspot, or native plant nursery, or butterfly count, is a great way to schedule a get-together. I used to belong to the National Begonia Society and going to nationals was great fun. We scheduled seminars on different topics, showed plants (well, the locals did), sold plants, sold trinkets and stuff related to growing begonias, had lunches, dinners, field trips, and it was such fun. Not everyone can affort to do it, I know, but if we planned well enough in advance, we can start saving for a trip. You can usually schedule a "national" event at a hotel that will offer discounted rates and as many as possible could attend just for the fun of it (I vote for California or Florida, of course!). Winter time in one of these states, when not much is going on in our gardens, is a good time to do something like that. Altho I know that people in the southern parts of these states are still butterflying - but then they would be close to home! Well, I like to dream..... Susan

I am just now beginning to see some butterflies, too. I have had a LOT of silver-spotted skippers, and I have just now started seeing a Black Swallowtail or two, and today I saw two butterflies that I had never seen before: I saw my first Giant Swallowtail, and she was laying eggs on my citrus trees! Moments like that are why we love this hobby! Also: I saw a medium-sized black butterfly with a white ridge at the bottom of its wings. Can anyone tell my what that was? It was on the lantana. Oh, and I have had several Black Swallowtail cats on my fennel. One even made it to being a chrysalis, and this afternoon when I checked on it, it had disappeared. Could a bird have pecked it down? ??? Thanks..

Hehehe!! When I saw this thread by me, I couldn't figure out when I posted it - I didn't remember posting this one at all! But after reading it, I do remember that spicebush swallowtail dancing all over the palamedes. If they mated, the resulting hybrids would have to be called Sherry swallowtails! :) I never did see 'em mate, though, so I guess they weren't that confused! That reminds me, early this spring when the male hummingbirds had gotten here, but the females hadn't yet arrived, I heard a male buzzing the "shuttle" which is a mating ritual/dance they do for females. I thought surely a female was here, then I heard the same thing a little later, and he was courting a chickadee! I guess he just courted the littlest bird he could find! MissSherry