Where are the butterflies?

[razz]

The focus of my garden is pollinators. I have a small butterfly garden complete with small fountain but no visitors. Is it too early or too hot or too few or ?

Is my garden lacking something?2303

[iris lilies]

The focus of my garden is pollinators. I have a small butterfly garden complete with small fountain but no visitors. Is it too early or too hot or too few or ?

Is my garden lacking something?2303

what a cheerful butterfly garden!

I dont inow where they are, though. My earliest sighting was a tiger swallowtail in April. I was surprised to see that one, but I dont know the migratory habits of yellow swallowtails so dont inow where it came from. It was handing around open lilacs.

[Lainey]

Is it a new garden? maybe they haven't found their way there yet?

[Float On]

Beautiful! I'm in the process of building a 40' berm butterfly garden. I hope g I seed and add plants this fall. I've seen some but you are right. Less than most years. Same with hummingbirds. I only have 3 feeders out this summer and usually have 8. Everyone on the hummingbird migration Facebook group is crying "fewer" this year. I'm hoping more butterflies show up late july-sept. I think it's just another victim of the chemicals put into lawns/farms.

[CathyA]

I think the butterfly population can be pretty inconsistent. We used to have so many, we had to dodge them. Then, for the past couple of years, we've hardly had any (even with tons of milkweed, etc. everywhere). But I'm encouraged this year (at least in central Indiana), because I'm seeing more than I have in the recent past. Do you offer water close by? You might also add a slice of watermelon close by. I've heard they like wet sand to sit in and drink. I do think our seasons are changing and things are delayed a month or 2 these days. Don't give up. :)

[Tybee]

I will try the watermelon idea, cool.
We've had a lot, saw a monarch yesterday. I had a bunch of valerian grow back from last year and they all love it.

[CathyA]

I think I've had the best luck with Joe Pye Weed. I have a bunch of coneflowers too, which they like, and it also serves as food for gold finches.
What would we do without birds and butterflies?

[KayLR]

I liked the watermelon idea until I thought another 10 seconds...then I remembered: yellowjackets. Ugh. I've seen a number of monarchs and several other types this year the number of which I hadn't seen before. My plants have been in place for about 3 years. I have hyssop, liatris, rudbeckia, and lots of lavender and other.

The wildlife botanical garden here has a butterfly garden with a sipping area. It's got a flat stone next to a small gravel, mud and sand dished-out space.

[iris lilies]

I have lots of bumblebees, lots! I like seeing them slowly lumber around my flower heads, buzzing and sitting. I find bumblebees calming.

Our nextdoor neighbors, ones whose house touches ours, installed a hive of honey bees a few weeks ago. They told us they were doing it and it is fine with us. I havent seen their bees in my yard, but this morning I observed their bees taking off and coming back in, about a dozen at any one time. It was interesting.

[dado potato]

razz,

You have a smashing butterfly garden there. Perhaps it is an atypical summer in your neck of the woods. Here we have scads of butterflies this summer.

[catherine]

I think I've had the best luck with Joe Pye Weed. I have a bunch of coneflowers too, which they like, and it also serves as food for gold finches.
What would we do without birds and butterflies?

I want to try Joe Pye Weed. Any tricks or tips? It seems to be native to VT, so I've been thinking of incorporating that into my long term plan.

I actually haven't seen a lot of pollinators up here so far!! Not sure what's normal, so we'll see what happens.

[rosarugosa]

I love your garden, Razz. We used to have an abundance of Rudbeckia and Echinacea, but the groundhogs ate every last bit. I always wanted to try Butterfly Weed. I wonder if that is preferred groundhog food?

[razz]

Thanks for the feedback. Isn't Joe Pye weed really tall?

[razz]

Yay, one Monarch today! I went to hang out my laundry and found it stuck between the screen and glass of my patio door. i huffed and puffed until I blew it out of that trap. I forgot to get a picture though.

[lhamo]

I planted a package of Ed Hume Pollinator mix and it has been very effective in attracting both bees and butterflies to our yard. Lacy Phacelia (aka purple tansy or honey plant) ended up being the dominant plant -- it isn't that pretty but the bees are NUTS for it. I regularly count 10-20 easily when I stand nearby.

[razz]

Interesting, Lhasa. Like so many native plants as milk weed, it spreads vigorously by rhizomes so the site I just checked for more info on the plant suggest planting in pots to control the spread. They like poor soil as well. Have to think about this.

[razz]

Well, it is a month later and the butterflies have been here in full force, all kinds of them and wonderfully healthy looking as well. They are so beautiful. Their favourite flower appears to be the orange-red Lantana and pink phlox which is odourless and the white phlox nearing the end of its blooming time but the fragrance of the white phlox is amazing.