Today I reaped the rewards. A Giant Swallowtail, Ohio's biggest and brightest butterfly stopped by to nectar on my favorite plant- Great Blue Lobelia, Lobelia syphilitica. The Giants are regulars at our property, but I have never seen a butterfly nectar on Great Blue Lobelia before. What a wonderful discovery, and reward for the time and labor it took to dig out this sunken garden.
Great Blue Lobelia requires a good deal of moisture; it can occasionally be found growing in roadside ditches. Once thought to be a cure for syphilis, (good luck on that!) I suggest it is better put to use as butterfly bait.
What a wonderful day!
................. ....Whee! ............. (click on photo to enlarge)
well done - great to see the Giant, none here this year - I don't see much go to Great Blue Lobelia either, but it is beautiful at filling niches
ReplyDeleteThis sunken garden is way easier to maintain than a "pond." I run a sprinkler on the whole thing, once or twice a week, and enjoy amazing butterflies, dragonflies and birds.
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