I love watching the Monarch Butterflies in my garden during late summer, so I always plant a few plants just for them, and any other butterflies I can attract to my backyard garden. Since I’ve been fairly successful at attracting them, I thought I’d share a few plants you might want to add to your garden this summer to attract a few butterflies of your own.

Plants to create a butterfly habitat in your backyard:

• Milkweed is the most important plant for the Monarch Butterfly, they lay their eggs on the milkweed plant, and it’s the only plant their larvae will eat. Pesticides, and ditch mowing have cut back the supply of mikweed considerably. If you have a place to let it grow in your backyard plant a few seeds, and watch the butterflies come.
• Thistle is another butterfly favorite.
• Butterfly bush
• Bee balm
• Russian sage
• Butterfly weed
• Yarrow
• Shasta daisies

Most of these are easy to grow perennials, once you plant them they’ll keep coming back year after year to feed your butterfly population. Just make sure you don’t use any chemical pesticides that might harm your butterfly friends.

Collections Etc has 3 of the topsy turvy planters check them out:

On all these planters you add your own favorite plants, and soil. Which is cool, since I have my own favorites.

The Topsy Turvy Strawberry Planter

Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter

Topsy Turvy Hot Pepper Planter

I think I might try one of each, and see how it goes this summer.

My favorite creatures are the butterflies that come to visit every summer. I try to plant my garden with them in mind, so I’m always excited when they take me up on my offer to visit.

This butterfly was trying to hold on to a butterfly bush, while the wind was whipping around him.

Another one of my favorite garden visitors is the praying mantis. I usually see several during the summer, but this is the first and only one I’ve spotted this summer in my garden. He was hanging out on the rose bush, hopefully picking off those aphids.

Finally, there have been plenty of worker bees spreading the pollen from plant to plant in my garden. I know we definitely don’t appreciate them enough for all they do.

I love to catch them in the act, so I probably have 20 plus bee photos, but I’ll just torture you with two of them… for now.

Here’s a shot of the pussy willow tree. I love the fluffy white pods when they come out in Spring for a few days.

My daffodils and tulips are both about to bloom. The daffodils have buds that are almost ready to open. A couple more bright sunny days and I’ll have some photos of the blooms to share.

Happy Spring to everyone!

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Dwell will be featuring green structures, and outdoor living spaces. Check out some of their innovative green design information.

Find out more about Dwell on Design.

If we ever have another ice storm we won’t have to watch the ice filled trees lay on our power lines. The second reason I’m glad the lines are buried is my nine year old son. You wouldn’t think the power lines would affect him up that high, but a couple days ago he shot his Rocket Jet Cast Fishing Rod right at the power lines. I thought I was going to have a heart attack!

I can replant a couple of my herbs to have the peace of mind my son won’t get something tangled in the power lines while he’s playing in the yard.

1. As a plant spray to get rid of aphids and other small bugs. I shred one to two tablespoons of soap with a cheese shredder, and add it to hot water in a 16 oz. sprayer. Shake it up until the soap is dissolved. Then I use it to spritz any plants or flowers that have been infected with aphids. All my potted plants get a quick spray before they get to come into the house for the winter.

2. Fels-Naptha is a wonderful poison ivy remedy. Just wet the area where the poison ivy is, and rub the bar over top. Let the skin dry naturally, and leave the soap on. It dries poison ivy within a day or two. I use it as soon as I notice a bump. I also use it to wash if I think I’ve been exposed to poison ivy.

3. Fels-Naptha works great as a laundry pre-treatment for stains and spots (and it’s way less expensive than some of the other spot treatments). Just rub it on the stain, let it sit for a few minutes and add it to the washing machine.

You can find Fels-Naptha soap in the laundry detergent aisle at most grocery stores.

Bats have been dying in record numbers, and scientists say their is an epidemic of White Nose Syndrome.  Find out more on this video.

More on how pesticides and herbicides affect bees, bats, butterflies, and other beneficial creatures.

Some plants that are toxic for animals include:
Clematis
Foxglove
Boxwood
Tulips can cause irritation to your pet’s digestive system
You may want to think about it before you add any of these plants if you have a dog or cat that like to nibble or chew on things.

Cats love catnip so you may want to save a little space in your garden for a patch of catnip to keep your feline friends happy.

If you have dogs you may want to leave a patch of dirt open for them to dig, and play in. My dog has a patch right up by the house she claims as her own. I had flowers planted there before she came to live with us, but she likes to dig in that corner so I gave up and let her claim it.

I’m always on the lookout for unique garden items. A hummingbird feeder like this one would blend in with the flowers around it not stick out like a sore thumb.

It would also make a great gift if you’re looking for a present for a gardener for Valentine’s day, or a birthday.

I love the flowers, and the blown glass shape. I bet my hummingbird friends would love it to filled with sweet treats.