Blue Daze

Evolvulus glomeratus 'Blue Daze' is native to Brazil and Paraguay. It tends to cascade rather than climb which is unusual among members of the morning glory family.

Mother Nature's Popcorn

Butterfly Magnet

Buddleia or "Butterfly Bush" is a butterfly magnet. It is named for a 17th century amatuer English botanist, Rev. Adam Buddle. The Buddleia has Chinese ancestry.

Red-Spotted Purple and two Viceroys (2003)

Painted Lady and a Monarch (2006)

Getting close to the bunny

Oops! Too Close! and he's off!

Scratch it!

Buckeye Butterfly

The Buckeye butterfly has distinctive eyespots which are thought to be used to scare away predators. This is my first photograph of a Buckeye at the butterfly bush.

Morning Dew

A slug appears on the daisy leaves in the early morning.

After the Bloom

After the magnolia petals drop off, there is still a certain stark beauty in the seed pod that remains.

Pollinator

A bee on a Scabiosa bloom.
Enlarge photo to see bits of pollen on wings and body.

Translucence

The bright sun allows you to see through the magnolia petals and see the stamens collected by the petals

Empty Nest ......... not quite

The two mockingbird fledglings ( see May 12 post) have left the nest. Unfortunately it appears that one of the eggs did not hatch. The parents are now off to make a new nest and lay more eggs.


Walking around the yard I found one of the fledglings sitting in an azalea. It looks like he is contemplating his strange new world.

Monarch and Viceroy Butterflies

The Monarch and Viceroy butterflies are very similar and can be difficult to distinguish. The dark line that runs across both the hind wings of the Viceroy is the easiest way to differentiate it from the Monarch.

Viceroy

Monarch

Strange visitor

A green anole visits the hummingbird feeder.

Monarch butterfly

The butterfly bush is appropriatly named. Butterflies appear soon after the first blooms appear.

Coming in for a landing

Please don't eat the daylilies!

Mr. Cardinal

Early Morning

I love walking out on the patio in the early morning and listening to a symphony of birds.
(click on the play button to listen)

First Magnolia Bloom

A bee checking out the magnolia bloom.

Baby Grasshopper

Visitor in the Daylilies

One of many green anoles that seem to be everywhere.

Yellow Hibiscus Bloom

Mockingbirds

Mockingbirds built a nest in our loropetalum and now we have two babies.

Virginia Sweetspire

The Virgina Sweetspire is beautiful now with it's pendulous clusters of flowers, but is also beautiful in the fall when it's leaves turn to burgandy.

Neon Flash Spirea

Magnolia buds

Buds developing on the "Little Gem" Magnolia in our front yard. Stay tuned to see the first blooms.

More daylilies

Background sounds provided by a mockingbird.

Pink Evening Primrose

Gerbera Daisies

Gerbera daisies in full bloom. (click on image to enlarge)

Rabbit in the garden

A little bunny in our backyard chomping away on the Black-eyed Susans.

Daylilies are blooming

The "Stella d'Oro" daylilly will bloom from May to October.