Good morning
I visited Blanco Gardens recently and their Mist flowers are blooming. The bees and butterflies love them. I bought a plant last year from Blanco Gardens and right now they are covered with butterflies. They are easy to grow and have spread throughout their section of the garden.
Good morning!
I bought a pack of zinnia plants from one of my favorite nurseries, Blanco Gardens in Blanco, Texas this summer. They had yellow, orange, light pink and dark pink flowers in the mix. These zinnias grow in a mounded form and are excellent bloomers, especially is you deadhead frequently. The butterflies seem to like the cheerful orange ones the most. Our fall weather has been mild with temperatures in the 90F during the day dropping into the low 70F at night and these flowers are not showing any signs of slowing down.
zinnias
I recently shared a post about the ladybugs that have graced my garden this year.
Ladybug, Lady beetle or ladybird beetles. Whatever the name, they are welcome in my garden.
They have continued to thrive and their larvae are appearing in encouraging numbers. They are welcome to feast on all the aphids and dill plants they desire.
Ladybug larvae at various stages
Ladybug larvae and aphids
The dill has started going to seed and it looks like we will have plenty to re-seed for next spring.
Dill seed
We also have Blue Mist Flower for the butterflies. This butterfly seems to be enjoying them.
Butterfly on Blue Mist Flowers
Plus this beetle with the pretty antennae.
Beetle on blue mist flower. Look at those pretty antennae.
Melyna
I planted dill in the garden hoping to attract butterflies. It worked. This lovely caterpillar was happily devouring the dill this morning. I think this is the same species as the butterflies I photographed earlier this week.
Caterpillar on dill plant.
This is the blog post with the butterflies: http://wp.me/p3GRKG-X9
This is a little pin cushion cactus that grows wild around our place.
Much more subtle than the larger Prickly pear that we see around the hill country. Love the blooms. I normally miss seeing them bloom.
Asclepias asperula, Antelope Horns Milkweed and bee 
If you enlarge the photo below, it is like one of those seek and find games.
We found seven insects on this milkweed.
Granted it will be a bit grainy when enlarged enough to see the smallest of the insects. This plant supports a lot of life.
Milkweed bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus) on Antelope Horns Milkweed (of course)
On the next three photos with butterflies,
I used the vastness of the internet to try and identify them.
Hopefully correctly. 🙂
Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)
Checkered White (Pontia protodice) on Blackfoot daisy (Melampodium leucanthum)
I think this is a Southern Dogface -Zerene cesoniahis
Unknown tiny insect on wildflower
China Berry blossoms – China Berry tree Melia azedarach var. umbraculifera
This is an invasive non-native tree. It’s saving grace for me is the fragrant blooms.
I Love them.
Otherwise, the berries are a mess and the wood is weak.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend,
Melyna
Coffee and Captured Moments 