This garden was started only a year ago, and was nothing more than a strip of turf grass. The Trumpet Creeper, Violets, and Rue are host plants for Sphinx Moth Caterpillars, Fritillaries(sp), and Black Swallowtails respectively. Every one has produced caterpillars already. It's mulched lightly, grown organically, and weeded somewhat. It doesn't really have a trim appearance. But when the thyme, chives, oregano, garlic chives, and creeping phlox are in bloom it's so pretty and humming with all kinds of winged creatures. As it grows and matures, the Trumpet Vine will produce flowers for the hummingbirds, The Yucca and Mullein will become much taller and have blooms that attract moths at nighttime. I snip some of the herbs for fresh use and freezing. The ground covers will continue to spread. I have photos of the caterpillars and the butterflies it produced if anyone is interested, let me know in this thread and I'll post them here. Thanks for looking and reading.

Very interesting photo and such a well done write-up. I enjoyed the information immensely. I too, am consciously trying to plant flowers, etc. that invite and seduce butterflies and hummingbirds. They make wonderful subjects for my photography hobby. I also include the delicate Dill herb for the butterfly caterpillars. Would love the see the butterflies you've had come about as a result of your garden. Don't hesitate to post them. I'll be looking forward to them. Thanks for sharing all of this.
Fleur569

Thanks Fleur for the acorn and liking my post!
I posted this on the Thread: What plants in your garden attracts the most butterflies? Copy & paste write-up:

Isn't it exciting and relaxing to see who shows up in your garden? In my experience, the best way to get and KEEP them is to be certain to provide lots of host plants as well as a big assortment of nectar plants to give them variety, that way they come to dine at your house as both caterpillars and adults. We'd prefer a loaded buffet ourselves, right? Host plants on your property will help to insure that small colonies will make your place a permanent home. If any caterpillar habitat nearby your garden is taken away- for example a field or wooded area is razed for a housing development- then there go all your beautiful butterflies!! Our winged beauties have to start life children first. LOL- If you "own" your caterpillars, you wont need to "rent" your butterflies. Pollinator partnership has a super guide with lists of best suggestions for your area, just plug in your zip code:
http://www.pollinator.org/guid...
Here's some eye candy on my fav plants for nectar and leaves

Monarch Butterfly Milkweed plantFritillary-wild violetsBlack Swallowtail on Rue
And here's the gorgeous outcome in order:

Here's the wild violets and creeping phlox, both native plants in the area right before planting along with chives etc:

When it was still just a strip of turf grass between two properties, 1st planting was the trumpet creeper:
newborn Sphinx caterpillar on trumpet creeper this year.
<---growing this Virginia creeper could produce this: Pandora Sphinx:



butterfly milkweed is beautiful as well as functional. Plants really do have a #1 purpose in nature, to produce food for living creatures, the fact that we like them is incidental.
"If a plant isn't feeding something it isn't doing it's job" --Dr Doug Tallamy

Just to add to your list of "fine dining" for caterpillars and butterflies, are two photos of Dill weed and the connissuers. I have Dill planted between many of my floral garden beds as fillers. The plant is delicate and not overbearing; besides the fact that it is a great herb. Planted between Zinnias it becomes heaven for the pollinators. I have hundreds of butterfly photos to prove that.





P.S. I love your quotes.
Fleur569

Fleur569 said:Just to add to your list of "fine dining" for caterpillars and butterflies, are two photos of Dill weed and the connissuers. I have Dill planted between many of my floral garden beds as fillers. The plant is delicate and not overbearing; besides the fact that it is a great herb. Planted between Zinnias it becomes heaven for the pollinators. I have hundreds of butterfly photos to prove that.





P.S. I love your quotes.
Fleur569

LOVELY, just beautiful! Great job with the BFs Fleur> Keep on feeding them and "capturing" them for us to enjoy