A little bit of heaven -

Yesterday was the day of the butterfly! I walked down a path and suddenly all these butterflies flew around me! Went back inside to get my camera. They were puddling and landing by the dozens on these Agastaches plants. It was wonderous! They are still around this morning. Wonder what this is all about?

Wish I could take close-ups. This was with the Rebel and the zoom lens. I have 2 dozen fuzzy pics!!! LOL!

To make this legit on a daylily robin, these plants are all in my daylilies beds!

I don't get many butterflies landing on daylilies though.

BB

Love, love, love butterflies!!!

Both my daughters try and raise Monarch's from eggs but this year has been really terrible. Must be some sort of disease going on with Monarch's. Out of 23 only 2 became butterflies. All the rest died.

Just in from taking vids. These are Painted Ladies. Never before have I seen so many in such a small area. Monarchs have been here for the month of Aug. Lots of natural whatever they like in the area. Sorry that your daughters raisings didn't turn out so well. All here seem to be fine.

Wonderful! Isn't nature amazing!

All the Agastaches I have planted do well, but do not come back after winter. They are cool plants.

Thanks for sharing!

Have you seen the forum here on Gardening for Butterflies, Birds and Bees? I think they would enjoy seeing this!

That looks like the same plant that I am growing for the first time this year and have seen more butterflys here than ever before, they really like that plant.

Video

At 8 there was good activity

At 10 I was completely mesmerized by how many were on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

Later in the day, the Painted Ladies left as the Monarchs came in. Didn't video those.

Fred, I love this plant. It blooms all summer, has fragrant leaves which also make a tea.

The one pictured is a hybrid. Agastache 'Black Adder' which has dark stems in the spring. It doesn't self seed.

The common one, which I also have, does self seed. Both are visited by yellow finch in the fall. They hang on sidewards while they feast. So funny as the plant tops will wave back and forth from their weight.

I started by using this as a fence/backdrop inbetween a bed of daylilies. It looked great. But the following year they got too big, so I took them all out except for one in each bed. All colors of daylilies look nice with them.

How big do they get??

With good soil and water, they now reach 5 ft tall. In the video, I am looking straight at the tops (camera in front of my eyes). I am 5'6"

First year container purchased plants were in the photo with the daylilies.

Oh my, I don't think I have the room for something quite that large in my yard.

Pretty butterflies and flowers!!

If you have a zoom lens -- sometimes they come with a Macro feature -- that way to can take super cool close ups!!

Christine,

I tried to do that. But the zoom on the camera would come back in when it was in video mode.

Canon SD950

Wish I had a real vid camera!

Love the composition in that last photo.

Here is my butterfly on daylilies photo from the ancient ones at the cottage:



Never heard of "agastache"

Mikey says...

"Try it, you'll like it!"

I hope you remember Mikey.

Loved the video! I've had more butterflies in my yard this year than ever before, which has been wonderful. Hummingbirds, too. I've been trying to decide if I want to get some Agastache, but wasn't sure. This settled it for me! I've had lots of butterflies on my butterfly bushes this year - way more than normal - but not nearly as many as this at once. I love them! Now to find some room for the Agastache! I love how well they go with daylilies!

They smell nice, too.

Debra, that's a wonderful bonus that I hadn't thought of! My neighbor 2 doors down went to Home Depot yesterday, and all their plants were 1/2 price. She got some beauties! I'll have to see if they have any Agastache!

This is not your regular Agastache. That would be like buying old fulva daylily! It is a hybrid called Black Adder.

Richer color, many more blooms that don't turn brownish half way through summer. Oh, and taller, more robust.

Think Primal Scream instead of fulva!!!!

I'm pretty sure I've seen that one for sale around here, but I can't remember where. Home Depot didn't have any left when I got there, but was told that they might have some at another store. I'll have to call around and see what they have. The lady said that they had some really good ones that were a newer variety. I'm always a day late!

BB, I like my fulva daylilies!