This is my 250th post... really? Seriously, where has the time gone? I can hardly believe I started this blog almost 3 years ago. Who knew I would have so much to say? Perhaps several of you that know me well, think I have shown great restraint... then again, maybe not. Okay, get on with it already!
I thought it might be nice to celebrate this milestone with a butterfly garden - what could be better?
Here's the catch - you are going to grow the garden, I will supply the seeds. I have wanted to plant a butterfly garden for over a year now, I never got around to it last year. And quite frankly, the monarchs can't really wait anymore.
Here are some quick details about the Monarchs (from the website for Live Monarch Foundation):
The Monarch is one of the longest migrating creatures on Earth. Beginning in August, millions of eastern monarchs (those living from the Rockies to the Atlantic Ocean) migrate from their summer feeding and mating grounds to Mexico, where they spend the winter before returning to the United States in late February and March to begin the cycle of life again. Monarchs live in all states and reproduce wherever they can find enough Milkweed to support their young. Monarchs are not pests and will not eat anything but Milkweed. They do not hurt crops, ornamental trees or in any way upset the balance of Nature in areas they are introduced.
Monarchs are not as plentiful as they were years ago, the use of insecticides and herbicides has eliminated much of their habitat. The milkweed that, the Monarch depends upon for survival, is disappearing as meadows and prairie are developed. While the winter population in Mexico numbers 200 to 400 million, many feel the Monarch may not survive. In 1991 about 70% of these wintering Monarchs in Mexico froze to death as a result of three days of rain and sub freezing conditions. This was an enormous tragedy for our friends the Monarch and they have not been seen again in many Northern regions. Habitat must be protected now, before we see the day when this miracle of nature is only a memory. The Monarchs and many butterfly species need your help. Please plant seeds and ensure their survival. Planting new habitat will not only help butterflies around your home but will help butterflies reach others who without your assistance would not see a Monarch. One seed can change the world.
The seed pack could include the following:
Asclepias Speciosia Northern Milkweed
Asclepias Curassavica Southern Milkweed
Achillea millefolium White Yarrow
Ammi majus Bishop's Flower/Queen Anns Lace
Asclepias curassavica Sunset Flower
Aster tanacetifolius Prairie Aster
Bupleurum griffithii Thoroughwax
Calendula officinalis Calendula
Centaurea cyanus Bachelor Button
Centaurea moschata Sweet Sultan
Chrysanthemum carinatum Tricolor Daisy
Chrysanthemum maximum Shasta Daisy
Coreopsis lanceolata Lance-leaved Coreopsis
Coreopsis tinctoria Plains Coreopsis
Cosmos bipinnatus Cosmos
Dianthus barbatus Sweet William
Echinacea purpurea Purple Coneflower
Gaillardia aristata Blanketflower
Gaillardia pulchella Indian Blanket
Limonium sinuatum Statice Turbo White
Limonium sinuatum Statice Turbo Yellow
Lobularia maritima Sweet Alyssum
Lupinus hartwegii Mexican Lupine
Nigella damascena Love-in-a-mist
Ratibida columnaris Yellow Prairie Coneflower
Rudbeckia gloriosa Gloriosa Daisy
Tithonia rotundifolia Mexican Sunflower
Trifolium incarnatum Crimson Clover
Verbena tenuisecta Moss Verbena
I have about 20 packets of seeds to give away. I already have packets set aside for Tammy in CT, Teri in Grass Valley and Lisa in OR. Please leave a comment here if you are interested in planting a garden to help with the butterfly population.
Once you leave a comment, I will contact you via email for your mailing address - so if you don't have a link to your blog or website, please leave a way for me to contact you.
If I should run out of packets of seeds, and you want to help, you can send a self addressed stamped envelope (SASE) to the Live Monarch (non-profit) organization, please check their Live Monarch website for details. They do ask for a $2 donation.
13 comments:
I would love to plant a butterfly garden! My next door neighbor brings me bulbs to plant each spring but no seeds and it seems seed flowers attract more butterflys and hummingbirds. I hang numerous feeders for the hummingbirds but have nothing but roses for the butterflies.
I am so glad I found your blog. I am enjoying it alot,
Blessings,
Sharon
What a great way to celebrate your blog milepost! I'm glad I'm blog- and FB page hopping today.
--
Kathy B
Its funny that you posted today. I have been longing for spring and thinking about how to further landscape the frog pond this year, and was thinking about butterflies. Several years ago we separated a piece of land about 20 x 30. There is Shumac there, but birds love it and other native plants. I do have milkweed because I love its flowers. Some are purple, some are orange. I had no idea Monarch like them. To some it looks like a weed patch. For me, I see the wildlife that happily visits.
I too have been wanting to plant a Butterfly garden, especially using Milkweed for the beautiful Monarchs. How serendipitous that we've met via BJP blog posts!
Happy 250th blog post!
Happy beading!
I look forward to seeing more of your work, too.
Congratulations on your 250th post. I have no idea where I am at; I know I have not been posting as much as when I first started. The butterfly gardens are a great idea. I can't do one as the rabbits and ground squirrels would decimate it and we have too many of them already and they also love the wiring in the car engines - ask me how I know! Besides it's hard to water enough with our low gpm well. We ought to have a pretty spring this year here in the desert since we've had several nice rains. Native wildflowers will be abundant.
Please count me in. I am starting with some new gardens around the property and would love for one to be a butterfly garden. Sharon
Congratulations, Grace! We live in a heavy migration zone for Monarchs here and you would not believe how many butterflies frequent our yard already!!! It is a joy to watch them . . .
Kathy V in NM
Congrats on 250! I have milkweed in my garden and the monarchs do come by for a visit. 1994 was a bumper crop of monarchs in my yard. I remember because Hannah was born in August of that year, and I bought her this awesome monarch as her 'birth' day present. I had never seen so many in one season.
hi grace!!!!
oh how sweet of you to think of me "D
my 'puter' went belly up the other day BUT i think its all good now lol i haven't turned it off yet to see if i can start it again!
hope to talk to you soon
many thanks again grace
x's &o's
Congratulations on your blogiversary! I always knew you had a lot to share :)
I will definately plant a butterfly garden! We have a lot of monarchs in our area and have some Milkweed down by the river. I didn't know they would like anything other than Milkweed?
Thanks for the info!
Oh, how *cool* Grace!!!
Happy 250th post! You are almost at three years, 250 posts...you are amazing! At the end of February, it will be two years for me and maybe 52 posts!!! LOL! Yep, your friend, tortoise-beadin' here! (rolling her eyes :)
I would LOVE to plant a butterfly garden! Thank you so much for thinking of me. How fun and such a great cause. We haven't seen as many monarachs as we used to have either!
I would be honored to plant some seeds in your honor...one seed can change the world!!!
Thank you again! Sending a heartfelt hug your way. Hope you have a nice weekend!
P.S. I hope you get the chance to plant the butterfly garden this year too! Oh, it will be fun to see what comes up and if we can attract monarchs and more butterflies. Will have to take pictures to share. XOX
P.S.S. Mark and I were coming over Mt Hood one summer during a monarch migration and it was the most amazing thing to see! They are so beautiful...
Well, you KNOW that Colleen and I want to plant a garden!
Grace -- I can't make the comment stay -- please include me !
Post a Comment