Black Swallowtail Chrysalis

Tiniest Snail

Unknown Cat.

Grey Hairstreak

Spring 2015

Spring Posies 2015

Winter 2014-15

Looks Like Autumn

Pear trees are flaming, and the old Pecan tree is throwing pecans at us like crazy. A nice welcome for our first Autumn here.

Dec. 2

Old Elm in front. 

Phase 2

Phase Two landscaping is going in this month thanks to help from Steve Huddleston.

Flagstone edgings around all beds, front and back yard. Here we've added a bench and AC screen, planted a lot of Coralberry and Turk's Cap, a little Abelia Twist of Lime, a Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum and a Yaupon Holly.

Possumhaw Holly in foreground.

Another view of Yaupon, and vines all along fence ~ Coral Honeysuckle and Carolina Jessamine.

Other side of the Possumhaw, and view of other AC screen and new plantings by garage. (I moved the two clematis vines here from the intense heat of the west sideyard, and added white Salvia Greggii, some Snakeherb, and more Katie's Ruellia. Also moved Abelia Kaleidoscope here.)

An Abelia Edward Goucher (to eventually hide the gas meter) and Salvia Leucantha were added to butterfly garden. Compost bin and G's digging area moved slightly, and Coralberrys planted here too.

Holly ferns were moved from under old pecan tree and planted under Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum. Turk's Cap and Katie's Ruellia planted under pecan. Crossvine planted to grow on iron fence.

Assassin Bug vs Fly

Tawny Emperor??

Tasting a composting cantaloupe rind. 

October

Black Swallowtail Cats!

10-14-14 found four black swallowtail caterpillars on my fennel this morning. How can I not have noticed them sooner?

Wheel Bug

So glad to find another beneficial bug in our yard! We've seen a lot of other assassin bugs, but this is the first wheel bug I've seen here. 

First Monarchs

First visiting Monarchs I've seen. There were two partaking of mistflower nectar. I'm so hopeful that in future years when the garden has expanded and matured we'll feed a lot of butterflies.