A Garden Mistake Or Maybe Not

So about three weeks ago now Rick and I started the flower bed out front with really no idea what we were doing. I will admit Rick had a much better understanding of the mechanics but as far as the flowers go we have NO idea. We just bought what we thought looked nice...pretty much what would look nice against the house and it's odd shade of rusty orange. lol

Case in point. Last night I go out to water the flowers and I notice HOLES...lots of holes in all the leaves of the bigger plants we bought for the back row. So I get down to investigate, to see what MONSTER is eating my plants! And what did I find you might be asking?

Are you ready for this???

 

Caterpillars! And lots of them...turns out that plant there with those pretty orange flowers that match the house so nice is MILKWEED! Milkweed is the main food source for the Monarch Butterfly, which is what that little guy will turn into IF he ever stops putting holes in my leaves! Have you ever read The VERY Hungry Caterpillar? They didn't call him that for nothing! lol So now we need to figure out something else to plant along the wall and maybe move the milkweed out a bit. I like the idea of a butterfly garden...if we can keep up with their appetite!

In other garden news...

 

Our rose bushes now have tiny leaves popping out all over! We were not sure what they were going to do since they just looked like a bunch of sticks shooting up out of the ground. It is so exciting seeing them come to life!

The flower boxes are doing amazing and have new blooms every afternoon!

 

We had to replant the lavender in the ground along the west wall because it was taking over the flower boxes. This one in the front was in a bigger pot and is twice the size of the others that were in the boxes. I hope the others will start to grow as big.

 

And here is the back garden in its some what finished state. Every time we are in the back yard we think of new things to do or add so it's still a work in progress but it is done for the most part.

This has been the best project we have worked on together!

 

Comments

[Tracy]

Love all your garden shots. And congrats on the caterpillars!! I get them every year here, too. I have two different types of milkweed. But once it's established the caterpillars really won't hurt it because it does grow just like a weed. LOL