Celebrating the ordinary
It still feels and looks like winter, but birds have been singing and I’m confident spring is on the way. It will be time for planting before we know it. Depending on what we plant, we can help monarchs and other backyard wildlife.
In particular, milkweeds attract monarchs, and other butterflies and pollinators. These are the ones I grow in my garden, and I’ve found monarch caterpillars on all of them.
The Lexington Arboretum continues to be one of my favorite places in Lexington, and I enjoy their annual Glories of the Garden art exhibit. The following information is from their website:
Glories of the Garden Art Exhibit: February 17 – March 9
Over 50 pieces of art inspired by nature – featuring oils, watercolors, photography, metal and more
Open to the public during Visitor Center hours: Mon. – Fri., 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
I’m pleased that my “Water lily and raindrops” photograph is included.
I recently decided, in spite of the snow and cold, to get out in the backyard to see what I could find. As is so often the case, there was plenty to discover. The ice that formed in the middle of this Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea) seedpod reminded me of a crystal jewel.
I have milkweed plants because they are essential to the survival of monarch butterflies, and I recently had fun trying to capture images of the seeds. Isn’t this arrangement a great example of beautiful and efficient packaging?
A recent New York Times article and blog post indicate monarch butterfly numbers continue to dwindle. Dr. Chip Taylor, founder and director of Monarch Watch, will be in Lexington to speak about the latest news and how we can help.
What: “Monarch Conservation: Challenges and Opportunities”
When: February 12, 2014 at 7 p.m.
Where: Gluck Equine Center Auditorium,1400 Nicholasville Road, Lexington, KY
Cost: $5; free to Friends of the Arboretum, Wild Ones members, and Garden Club of Kentucky members
This talk is sponsored by the Lexington Arboretum, Lexington Chapter of Wild Ones, and the Garden Club of Kentucky. I’m looking forward to it, and if you live nearby I hope you’ll join us.