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Monarch

Discussion in 'Pets and Wildlife' started by KellyW, Aug 16, 2015.

  1. Aug 16, 2015 #1
    KellyW

    KellyW Orchid wonk Staff Member Supporting Member

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    Another hobby of mine is landscaping my front and back yards with plants for pollinators. No more lawn to mow!!! I have been working toward this goal for several years and finally removed the last piece of lawn this past spring. I am not finished because I think it will be a constant process plus I stopped planting to conserve water during the drought. Everything is on drip irrigation.

    I photographed this Monarch butterfly in my backyard on a butterfly bush (Buddleia) a few days ago. Although I do get butterflies I get large numbers of bumble bees, carpenter bees, honey bees, native bees, and hummingbirds. Then the finches and towhees come in to get the seeds off the plants. I may try a bee hive next year.

    Monarch open-900.jpg Monarch profile-900.jpg
     
    JohnsonS, Boytjie, Rvorchids and 2 others like this.
  2. Aug 17, 2015 #2
    Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

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    Thanks for the little slice of nature! This drought is a bummer in the garden.
     
  3. Aug 17, 2015 #3
    KellyW

    KellyW Orchid wonk Staff Member Supporting Member

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    Yes. Lets hope that El Nino does it's job.
     
    Marni likes this.
  4. Aug 17, 2015 #4
    jai

    jai Orchid addict

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    Very nice,do you grow succulents in your garden?
     
  5. Aug 17, 2015 #5
    KellyW

    KellyW Orchid wonk Staff Member Supporting Member

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    I have a few but I don't know much about them yet.
     
  6. Aug 17, 2015 #6
    jai

    jai Orchid addict

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    I have one growing outside it is huge and flowering I had to divide it in two two pots, I will take pictures and post tomorrow. Thiers not much to know about them they are pretty unique and very for givingn plants except when it comes to watering they like to dry out more than they like to be watered. Also they can be multipyed/propagated by just a leaf which if planted right will grow into another plant.
     
  7. Aug 17, 2015 #7
    John Klinger

    John Klinger Active Member Supporting Member

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    Kelly - Did you ever build a larger Koi pond, I know you mentioned you wanted to.
     
  8. Aug 17, 2015 #8
    KellyW

    KellyW Orchid wonk Staff Member Supporting Member

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    No. It is the same size as it was when you saw it. If the drought continues into next year I will probably turn this one into a bog garden or just drain it until we get relief :(
     
  9. Aug 18, 2015 #9
    goods

    goods Well-Known Member Supporting Member

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    Very nice! My first lesson on metamorphosis was in my parents' backyard watching monarch caterpillars munch on Asclepias spp., form a chrysalis, and eventually emerge. Sadly, we've all but lost the monarchs in recent years.
     
  10. Oct 26, 2015 #10
    Natureman

    Natureman Active Member

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    ImageUploadedByOrchidsForum.com1445854796.173778.jpg
    Hi Kelly,
    I have native WI plants instead of a lawn. That Joe pye weed in the center is way over my head. I started about ten years ago and I couldn't have it any other way because of the life it attracts! I, too, find it remarkable that there are SO many different kinds of bees and wasps!
    I don't have to water, though.
    The only problem is a neighbor keeps calling the police... I had to go to court and everything to save it, I won in the end.
     
  11. Oct 26, 2015 #11
    KellyW

    KellyW Orchid wonk Staff Member Supporting Member

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    Natureman, I like that. very nice. Do the neighbors just want you to conform to a typical urban landscape? Lawns are such a waste of resources and space.
    I wish I had converted over long ago. My plants are not all native although that is my preference. However, everything I plant is intended to be pollinator attractive and drought tolerant and has to grow in the nasty red clay and rock that pretends to be soil in my locale.
     
  12. Oct 4, 2016 #12
    Daikini

    Daikini New Member

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    Your garden is lovely. We have a huge jacaranda tree, over 80 years old. Taller than a second storey house. Our neighbors complain about it incessantly. About a metre or 2 of branches spread over their side of the fence, so by law they are allowed to cut them. However the council has limited what they can remove. But they constantly contact the council and its neverending. They say it makes their garden messy.
     
  13. Oct 6, 2016 #13
    spiro K.

    spiro K. Well-Known Member

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    I know the type well! These are the sort of people for whom "gardening" is sweeping the driveway and mowing the lawn. After drenching it with pesticides and herbicides of course!
     
    Daikini likes this.
  14. Oct 7, 2016 #14
    Daikini

    Daikini New Member

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    This is a picture of the said neighbours backyard that complains about the jacaranda leaves dropping and messing up their yard. Need I say more!
     

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