I took the kids to visit their grandparents in the desert this week and while we were there we went to a zoo that had a beautiful butterfly pavilion. It was so fun to watch the kids watch the butterflies! Some of them landed right on the kids, who were in love with each one. That sealed the deal on my decision to plant some butterfly attracting flowers, and today I went to the nursery to find some new plants. I came home with two perennials, and they are so perfect.
The first is Scabiosa Columbaria, commonly called pincushion flower. I love the delicate blue, which works perfectly with the soft yellows and pinks of the front bed. It is already flowering now, and should flower through the fall, hooray!
The second is Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii), which has pink to purple flowers and has a lovely scent. I realize it doesn't look like much now, but it is a fast grower (reportedly) and can get up to 7' tall and 3-4' wide! Oooh, I hope it does - it is planted right under my son's window and he will love it if he can see butterflies landing on it!
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I planted sunflowers today!!! It's a small start :)
ReplyDeleteYay, Allegra! I'm glad you are starting to plant :)
ReplyDeleteOh our zoo has a butterfly pavilion too. Isn't it so cool? It makes me want to go now.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your encouargaging comments on my posts. They always gives me motivation for my next post. Have a great rest of the weekend.
I can't wait to see all the butterflies appear in your wonderful garden. I have been wanting a butterfly bush for a while now..I think I should go get one this week. :)
ReplyDeleteLuLu
Nikki ~ I had scabiosa years ago and loved it. Totally forgot about it.
ReplyDeleteRegarding butterfly bush... I have a "dwarf" one that grows over my neighbor's roof. oops.
I never thought it would get that big. Blooms on new wood, so you can really cut it back hard each year. Blooms smell great. Should be fun for your son.
Re: earth day, sounds like fun... I am itching to buy and plant right now. Self-control is hard to hang onto sometimes.
Love to you what you come up with for our multi-zone earth day experiment! Great idea. ok, back to the weed patch!