Gardens Tours

A post script to my last post is that I did find a chrysalis for the butterfly and was thrilled but several days later the chrysalis was open and it was apparent that a butterfly hadn't emerged. I read that other insects can parasitize the chrysalis which is what I guess happened. I was really disappointed. I am waiting for more caterpillars to show up to feed.

CM County Garden Tours led by Pat Sutton have been happening for a number of years but last fall was the first time I'd heard about then in a class given by Pat on bird and butterfly gardens. The class covered native species that thrive here. The tours are broken in 3 sections - South of the Canel, NCM to Rio Grande and North in the county. I was able to take the South and Mid section tours leaving the North section for another month. Pat does the 3 tours for 3 months in a row as you'll see different plants in bloom and attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. The tours stopped at 7 residences each day.

The word of the weekend was unrelenting heat! The first day I did fine until midafternoon when I really began to feel wilted. I had plenty of water but the back of my neck - BURNING - from standing out in the sun. The second day I wised up and took a handtowel soaked in cool water and kept cold in ice chest that I started to wear around the back of my neck as soon as I felt warm. This worked like a charm so I'll use the idea while birding when it's really hot!

My favorites were the properties that match mine closely. I live on the Delaware Bay and have strong winds blowing in frequently which affects plantlive. On the South tour we stopped at one house along Beach Ave in CM. On the Mid-county tour there were 2 homes along and near to the Delaware Bay. Even better the 3 gardeners are happy for anyone on the tours to stop back so I'll be visiting then soon. I know they all will have lots of helpful hints on how to manage/plant my gardens with appropriate plants/schrubs. The gardeners on the Mid-county tours also gave us Queen Ann's Lace seedheads plus lavender and starter Sumac shrubs. I came home feeling excited to get started but most of that will have to wait until 2011.

As I sit here looking out on my backyard plantings, birdfeeders & birdbaths along with the waterfall I see a number of butterflies flying around and stopping to drink some nectar. Two butterflies I see today are the Cabbage White (pictured) and the Yelllow Swallowtail. Of course in the days and years to come I hope to attract more to my property. I also hope to attract back the praying mantis that I used to see here back in the 1990's.