While doing a little harvesting and weeding this past weekend, I decided to take a few pics out in the gardens. This little guy, a Monarch Butterfly caterpillar, prompted my photo shoot.
Actually, it was his sibling - or so I assume - that caught my attention, but I couldn't catch him in a pic. He was being carried away in the jaws of a Praying Mantis. The Mantis drug him too far into the Butterfly Flower plant and I couldn't snap the pic.
But I did notice junior, there, munching away on a bud from the plant. Guess this plant's flowers did it's job by attracting a Monarch Butterfly to lay her eggs.
While I was out in the perennial garden snapping pics, I could hear a Robin in a nearby tree just squawking away. That's a pretty good indication that I'm too close to her nest.
Sure enough, I found her nest right in the Cornus Kousa (Japanese Flowering Dogwood) that's planted as the centerpiece of the perennial garden.
Cournus Kousa
Picture from the web.
Mine is not blooming yet, and is no where near this mature.
Below are the flowers and subsequent fruits produced by this gorgeous tree. It blooms mid to late summer unlike it's cousin, American Dogwood or Cournus Florida (The Virginia State Flower), that blooms very early spring.
Blooming quite prolifically in the garden right now are the Blackeyed Susans (The Maryland State Flower), Blanketflower (Gaillardia) and Verbena.
Black Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta)
Verbena
Blanketflower
Also just slightly passed it's peak of blooms here is my Crape Myrtle. I just love this shrub/tree. I intend to plant several more on the property. It's a wonderful mid to late summer flowering shrub. The flower bracts are amazing and slightly fragrant.
Below, a "Wild Sunflower" plant I purchased years ago at a native plant sale at a nature center is showing it's blooms.
Bright and cheerful orange Zinnias. Unfortunately, the bunnies gobbled up my budding Envy Zinnia seedlings I had planted, but didn't go for any other flower seedlings. Funny how picky their palates are!
Picture found on web.
The dainty flowers of the Threadleaf Coreopsis (also known as Tickseed).
Asiatic Lilies
My favorite Geranium this year. Don't know the variety, but I love the dark green leaves and deep red flowers.
As a vege gardener, a tomato blossom is beautiful thing.
A rogue cucumber is thriving in the empty cold frame.
Hopefully by next week some of the flowers planted in the vege/cutting garden will be blooming so I can bring fresh cut flowers in house.
I'm linking up my Bloomin' Beauties post to
Click over and check out what else is bloomin' in other bloggers' gardens.
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