We have a ton of hostas over at the cottage we bought diagonal from our property. So no $$$ lost on them. I may just keep them closer to the sides that are without trellises on the inside. Adding hardscape and planting larger rocks and possibly a small bench or tiny checkers table and chairs. To the one side under the gazebo. Or...something to display a collection of birdhouses on. Worst case we just do hardscape under it. And a few eye catching details to catch ones eye when you walk through. I must admit...you voice a Huge concern of mine though Yardvaark. Though free plants won't break the budget at least.

Well being the curious type, I decided to google butterfly houses, and facts. Gosh, some companies are selling these little things for as much as $70 each. LOL. Anyway, I found the information I wanted easily and just thought I'd share what the guy said. hugs, Karen When most folks get a butterfly house, they quickly place it in the sunniest part of the garden in hope that the butterflies will swarm to it like Purple Martins to a bird condo. Not so. First, they would not be used until the Fall. Second, the butterflies that utilize them prefer the safety of the woods as opposed to the open garden setting. To make them more effective they should be placed in a woody section of your garden if it is possible. The host plants for the species preferring boxes should be planted nearby. Mourning Cloaks, Anglewings and Tortoiseshells will be most prone to use them. Elm, Willow, Nettles, Poplar, and my personal favorite Hops, are the favored host of your would-be tenants. Later, blooming nectar sources will also increase activity. Sedums and Asters are good choices, but your personal favorites will work also. By having the nectar source close by, they may be more likely to visit your butterfly house. Many people have suggested painting the outside of the structure with purple and yellow flowers to attract attention. Once again it can't hurt. Another point of debate is the proper height. Some say 4-5 feet, others say higher, others lower. I say put it where you like it. During the winter, these hibernators can be found under logs on the ground, in the eaves of houses and state park signs, or in the grasses. They will overwinter at any level where opportunities exist. As the cold winds of winter approach, there may not be much time for house hunting. Butterfly houses look great and add to the charm of any garden. I have one. It is placed right in the sunniest part of my garden. It is at the wrong height and probably facing the wrong direction, and probably a lot of other wrong things involved. But who cares. It makes for great conversation!

Congrats on the babies! The first thing all cats eat is their own egg casing. For what it's worth, my mom started new citrus plants from citrus seeds she dried out in her windowsill. Since I have at least one lemon per day in my water, I followed suit. The tree it grows may not produce fruit or bloom, but it has leaves and that's really all we need for this wonderful operation. She brought me 2 cats from her house this past week plus one I had found in my tree and all three have been fed from the same small citrus plant she started from seed. It may take a little bit to grow, but it's worth a shot if you're short on leaves for this go-around. I'll take a photo of the little pop-up I'm using since it's only three of them and submit it here tomorrow. One of them was already hanging this afternoon so it should be a chrysalis by tomorrow. Since it hung itself on the plant, it all has to stay in the hamper until it emerges and you'll see why I like to have an orchid ladder in there with them. Now the plant is held hostage until the butterfly comes out! So happy this system works for you, I wish I had been back on here sooner to share it with anyone else who was looking for an easier way to raise them. But it's here now and it's working for you so far, so it's great!! :)

You might also be interested in this one, if you haven't seen it either. 23 gardens are listed on page 323--'Nurseries & Gardens - Indexed by Geographical Location'--for Seattle specifically: Bradner Demonstration Garden Carl S. English, Jr. Botanical Garden Center for Urban Horticulture E.B. Dunn Historic Garden Trust Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden Erna Gunther Ethobotanical Garden Good Shepherd Center Green Lake Park Kubota Garden Magnuson Community Garden Medicinal Herb Garden Pacific Science Center/Tropical Butterfly House Seattle Center Butterfly House The Seattle Chinese Garden Seattle's Japanese Garden Seattle Tilth Gardens Seattle University South King County Arboretum South Seattle Community College Arboretum Volunteer Park Conservatory Washington Park Arboretum Woodland Park Rose Garden Woodland Park Zoological Garden Here is a link that might be useful: The Northwest Gardeners' Resource Directory - 9th ed.