I love my garden--picture heavy

[Meule]

Amazing pics Jess

[jessica]

Today I saw my first monarch butterfly. Unfortunately, one of the more aggressive tiny butterflies chased it away. Hopefully it will return so I can photograph it.

This butterfly is actually a deep dark brown with orange spots. It likes to sit on the flowers and just rub its wings, rarely opening them.


The blue of this dragonfly is so unbelievable. It was really cool to see it hovering over the plants:

[Fire Marshal Bill]

Great pictures! I love looking at our butterfly garden this time of year . Just the other day we had a hummingbird. BTW, the pics up at the top of this page are "Skippers" and the last pic you put up is of a Hairstreak Butterfly. You ought to invest in a good Butterfly field guide, i think you would really enjoy ID'ing them. One year we "raised" many Monarch caterpillars on Tropical Milkweed. When they emerged from their chrysalis, we tagged them before releasing them on their journey to Mexico for the winter.

It looks a lot different now, but here is a shot of a small portion of our butterfly garden from a couple years ago.

[jessica]

I need to start a butterfly garden. I have been hesitant to purchase a butterfly bush just because they tend to grow very tall...although I have seen one that only grows four feet.

Spring is here, and so are my allergies.

[Hector]

Beautiful...and wow...you are a great photographer too boot...

[Mr.Krusher]

WOW indeed! Very good eye, and very sharp camera!

"It will be just like starting over again...like in the garden of Eden..."

"Yeah! ..Except THIS time we dont trust no friggin SNAKES!"




The no-prize goes to the first person that can ID where that quote came from!

[vintage spideyfan]

I just re-read most of this thread. Jessica, your photography is amazing.

It was a much needed kick to the winter blahs.

[TEXASFETT]

Those are some great pictures....gardens looks like a peaceful place to hang out and read a book.

[jessica]

More photos!

The garden at this time of year is still asleep:


But there are some flowers showing some action, like the first alstromaeria of 2011 and the blue anemone:


We also have an almond tree that's good for nothing but the squirrel. We've been thinking of cutting it down:



Some kind of shrub daisy and a geranium

[jessica]

When you stand at the edge of the patch of bearded iris, their beautiful perfume permeates your senses.

[BOTZWANA]

I canīt wait to start my garden one day. Grow my own vegetables etc.

[jessica]

I need to plant some beans to replace the nitrogen depleted by the tomatoes, so that next year I can plant tomatoes again.

This is the flower of a root stock rose.

[jessica]

YAY!! I was able to finally purchase a protea cynaroides. In addition, I purchased two other protea: susannae and eximia. Triple yay!!

[vulcan2074]

Jessica
Congrats on your new purchases. Your pics are Amazing!
Sammy

[emeraldknight47]

Your garden pics are amazing, Jessica! They added a nice splash of color to my day, do I can just imagine what they do for you. What kind of camera do you use that you are able to capture the butterflies (which are pretty fast) so well and with such detail...?