Hi everyone, karinl, the groundcover is zoysia, also known as Korean bunch grass or Korean grass. I have the old-fashioned mounding variety. It is like bermuda grass in habit, but MUUUUUCH slower-growing. It goes dormant in the winter in cold climates and it creeps through stolons. The main problem is that it is very expensive. I bought a flat yesterday: fifteen bucks! It has lower water needs than a regular grass and you never need to mow. Here are a few photos from last week: This grass makes everything look lush, even in Southern California. You can see how it has crept over the rocks on the right there, and I have to chop it out of the beds once every two years. Littlefatcat, it's so funny that you would post photos of the spirea! I just did a search on chartreuse plants and saved a photo of that plant to check out. I have not been able to grow hydrangeas because of their high water requirements, but that is one gorgeous plant. Have you considered a lorapetalum for your center island? I don't know how much sun they can take, but they have purple foliage and are easy to shape naturally by taking out whole branches. There's also a redbud called "forest pansy" that might work... finally, the dwarf breath of heaven might not grow as big in your yard as it gets in mine. For small chartreuse foliage, I love acorus. I grow it in full sun and in full shade. Yin, thanks for the tip! I will look it up. I agree with you. I don't like shrubs that have been shaped into little balls, the natural look is so much prettier. I am hoping my breath of heaven recovers from my hack job at the bottom. I wonder where landscapedesignchina went? Renee

Outstanding photo images, Molanic! Yes, we have an influx this year of Red Admirals, Variegated Fritillaries, Mourning Cloaks, and Clouded Sulphurs in my area. The VFs decimated the Passiflora incarnata early on, but they grew back in time for the Gulf Fritillaries to arrive. I have tons of Clouded Sulphurs, but didn't find any eggs or caterpillars. What did yours feed on? I have quite a bit of White Clover, and they were very late leaving this year. I saw them still mating in mid-December. I guess the eggs overwinter on the clover, or maybe they hatch and overwinter as tiny larvae. I don't know much about this butterfly since it is not commonly observed or hand-raised. I'm fascinated that you raised them! Love, love, love that Haploa moths. I am in love with moths and have raised 13 different species of sphinx. One plant I always recommend to moth lovers, especially sphinx moth lovers, is Virginia Creeper. I have found Eumorpha achemon, Eumorpha pandorus, Virginia Creeper sphinx (Darapsa Myron), and Nessus sphinx (Amphion floridensis) all feeding on Virginia Creeper. In addition, the pretty little Eight-Spotted Forester moth uses it as a larval host. I haven't tried to raise the Forester because of its unique pupation requirements. The pupate in holes in old wood. I haven't quite figured out how I would provide that. Do you know what the Haploa uses for larval food? DD, you don't need to do anything fancy to feed the fruit-feeding butterflies, other than put out rotten or very ripe fruit. I have even had them to come to not-so-ripe fruit like watermelon. My butterflies are fed bananas. I buy the bags of overripe bananas, reduced in price by the grocer, and put them out in a suet feeder. I open up the skin and expose the interior fruit a bit, put in the feeder, and hang it up. I have had Mourning Cloaks, Hackberry and Tawny Emperors, Red Admirals, Red Spotted Purple (rare in my area), an occasional American Lady, and in early morning, at dawn, and evening, I have had tons of Nessus sphinx feeding on them, too. The Nessus is a day-flying moth, and they are just a little larger than the Snowberry Clearwing. They are very cute! Susan

This little fella was found in my yard in Cass County, Missouri. This little guy was bouncing around everywhere...ADHD :o)...landed on the tomatoes for awhile, then over to rest on the Ninebark and finally went to check out some Coreopsis. He was so indecisive, I was lucky to get the shots I did. I will have to go google some images of both so I can compare the differences.... Thanks lepalot! P.S. Did you know that Butterflies and Moths Organization is searching for volunteer lepidopterists? (highlighted is link to their website)

That is a rich collection! So many origins, periods in history and personal points of view, but there is always a kernel, an insight one can agree with & some are such a reflection of their lives and times. That's when I thik sometimes "if you say so". Herriot's are a delight, they are close to what I am concerned with.