Beneficial Animals and Insects
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bird Friendly Gardens, Butterflies and Moths
Welcome, Pretty Papillon! Attracting Butterflies & Moths to the Garden
Red-Spotted Purple Butterfly (Limenitis arthemis) in My Wildflower Meadow, Visiting Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio glaucus) on Lilac Blossoms (Syringa vulgaris ‘Mme. Lemoine’ ) in My Garden- Read More About This Lovely Butterfly in My Previous Post by Clicking Here. Fritillary on Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) – Read More About This […]
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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Birds in the Garden
Morning Coffee with the Eastern Phoebe
 An Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe), Perches Upon the Rusty Metal Garden Bench in Front of Lespedeza thunbergii ‘Edo Shibori’ As part of an ongoing effort to savor every last drop of summer, I’ve vowed to take my work and meals outside whenever possible. For the past few days, I’ve been lured out to coffee on […]
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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Butterflies and Moths, Costa Rica, Frogs and Toads, snakes, Spiders, Travel
Deep Forest: Exploring the Heart of Cahuita National Park, Costa Rica . . .
This Eyelash Viper (Bothriechis schlegelii), is a mostly arboreal/nocturnal resident of Cahuita National Park, Costa Rica. Though its venom is highly toxic, this snake is non-aggressive and its bite is rarely fatal to humans. Still, I observed the colorful beauty from a distance and zoomed in with my camera for a close-up look. Learn more […]
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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Berries, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Birds in the Garden
Singing for Their Supper: Gardening to Attract Migratory Songbirds . . .
Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum ‘Shasta’ Fruits in the Garden – A Cedar Waxwing Favorite Late in summer, when tall grass sways in golden light and crickets sing long into morning, the garden begins to ripen in shades of red, orange, violet and plum. In August, migratory birds —making their way to exotic, tropical destinations— flock […]
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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Frogs and Toads, Organic Insect Control
A Surprise Visit from the Gray Treefrog: Musical Chameleon of the Native Forest
Wait… Is That Lichen on My Chair? Luckily, I Spotted This Tiny Member of the Arboreal Choir (Hyla versicolor), in the Nick of Time! If you live in North America, chances are you’re more familiar with the springtime song of gray treefrogs (Hyla versicolor), than you are with the colors and patterns of this amphibian’s […]
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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Butterflies and Moths, Caterpillars
Friend or Foe? A Wise Gardener Knows
 Black Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio polyxenes) on Wild Carrot (Dacus carota) Fear can lead people to do foolish things. Human beings have an tendency to fear and strike out at things they do not know. At a certain level, fear is important to our survival. The human fight or flight response was designed to protect us, and […]
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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Frogs and Toads
All Hail the Prince…
Prince Pickerel has Returned to His Summer Home in My Secret Garden His Highness, Prince Pickerel of The Secret Garden, has returned to his summertime throne. You may recall earlier mentions of this copper-clad charmer from summers past; particularly this post on the pickerel frog, from August 2010. Welcome Home! All Hail the Prince! Photographs […]
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Annual Flowers, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Butterflies and Moths, Caterpillars, flowering shrubs, Flowering Trees, Garden Design, Hummingbird Moth, Hummingbird/Butterfly
In Praise of the Poetic Papillon: Attracting Butterflies, Moths & Other Pollinators to the Garden…
Red-Spotted Purple Butterfly (Limenitis arthemis) in My Wildflower Meadow, Visiting Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio glaucus) on Lilac Blossoms (Syringa vulgaris ‘Mme. Lemoine’ ) in My Garden- Read More About This Lovely Butterfly in My Previous Post by Clicking Here. Fritillary on Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) – Read More About This […]
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Apples, Asian Natives, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Fruit for home gardens, Fruit Trees, Heirloom Apples, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Orchards / Orchard Keeping, Ornamental Berries and Fruit, Pears
Oh, Sweet-Scented Orchard Blossoms! Selecting & Growing Fruit Trees at Walker Farm with Zeke Goodband…
Apple Blossoms at Scott Farm in Dummerston, Vermont The Sweet Scent of Spring: Filling My Hands with Fragrant Apple Blossom Petals as They Fall from the Trees A Inspirational, Springtime Stroll through the Heirloom Apple Orchard at Scott Farm in Vermont Many gardeners dream of an orchard filled with homegrown peaches, plums, pears, quince, cherries […]
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Autumn, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Black Plants, Butterflies and Moths, Climbing plants, Cocktails, Ferncliff, Fragrance, Garden Paths, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Secret Garden Room, Secret Gardens
Seduced by Autumn’s Alluring Scent …
Deep Within the Secret Garden, the Delightful Scent of Fairy Candles (Actaea simplex ‘Hillside Black Beauty’ and ‘Brunette’ aka Cimicifuga racemosa) Perfumes the Air, Luring Me Down the Dim, Winding Path. (Other plants here: Acer palmatum x dissectum ‘Seiryu’, Daphne x burkwoodii ‘Carol Mackie’, Viburum bodnantense ‘Dawn’, and beside the Actaea simplex: glowing, chartreuse Hakonechloa macra ‘All […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Color in the Garden, Conifers, Decorating the Garden, flowering shrubs, Foliage, Front Yard Gardens, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Structures, Gardening Inspiration, Gardening without Lawn, Hardy shrubs, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Massachusetts, Native Plants, New England, ornamental grass, Paths and Walkways, Pergolas and Arbors, Plants for Light Effects, Plants for sun, Plants for Texture, Purple and Maroon Foliage, Replacing Lawn, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Shrubs for Winter Interest
Renovate! How the Garden Next Door Went from Just Grass to Just Gorgeous …
A Prim & Proper Arbor Goes Drop-Dead Gorgeous in a Sexy New Shade of Sangria It’s been awhile since I last featured one of my residential garden design projects on The Gardener’s Eden. And to be completely honest, I’ve been too busy planning and installing gardens to do much writing these days. But over the […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Shrubs for ornamental fruit
Hello There, Wayfaring Stranger: Viburnum lantana ‘Variegatum’ Greets Migrating Birds with Bright Red Fruits
Viburnum lantana ‘Variegatum’ – Variegated Wayfaring Viburnum with Fruit in August At this time of year —with migrating birds flocking to shrubs and trees, feasting on seeds and berries— the garden is alive with color and song. I love watching cedar waxwings and rose-breasted grosbeaks as they harvest ripe red fruit from branches of the […]
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Autumn, Autumn Color in the Garden, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Birds, Black Leaves - Trees, Black Plants, Color in the Garden, companion planting, Dark Plants, Extending the Growing Season, Ferncliff, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Hydrangea, Perennials : Vermont, Perennials for Autumn, Perennials for summer, Plant Spotlight, Planting Techniques, Plants for shade, Plants for sun, Purple and Maroon Foliage, Summer Flowering Combinations, The Seasons, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
The Loveliest Ladies of August: Summer’s Beautiful, Late Bloomers are Well Worth the Wait …
Blush-tinged blossoms and gorgeous, season-spanning foliage make Hydrangea quercifolia one of my favorite native plants (shown here with Juniperus squamata ‘Holger’ and the lingering blue flowers of Adenophora confusa) . Check out this shrub’s autumn coloration here! After last night’s much-needed rain, I awoke to the sound of hermit thrush, sweetly singing in the hemlock […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Dried Flowers, Evergreens, Ferncliff, Foliage, Front Yard Gardens, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Gardening without Lawn, Ground Covers, Heath & Heather, Paths and Walkways, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennials for summer, Perennials for Winter Interest, Plant Spotlight, Plants for sun, Plants for Texture, Replacing Lawn, rock garden plants, scree gardens, shrubs, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Summer flowering shrubs, Woody Plants
A Moody, Pale Lavender Haze … Heather-Covered Ledges Soothe the Eye In the Softest Shade of Summer …
The Soft Beauty of Lavender-Colored Heather: Calluna vulgaris ‘Silver Knight’ Calluna vulgaris ‘Silver Knight’, Juniperus horizontalis ‘Wiltonii’ and Juniperus x pfizerianna ‘Sea Green’ Along the Ledgy Walkway A Hazy Slope of Heather (Calluna vulgaris ‘Silver Knight’) in the Palest Shade of Lavender While much of my garden blooms in brilliant, sunny shades of gold, yellow […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bird Friendly Gardens, Butterflies and Moths, Caterpillars, Color in the Garden, Ferncliff, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Meadow Gardens, Native North American Meadows, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, organic gardening, Paths and Walkways, Perennial Close-Ups, Plant Spotlight, Plants for sun, Pollinating Insects, Wildflowers and Meadows, Wildlife
Notes on Nature’s Bold Artistry: Brilliant, Blooming Butterfly Weed & Her Colorfully Patterned, Wild Guests …
Asclepias tuberosa – Our Beautiful, Native Butterfly Weed Catches the Golden Light of Summertime Along the Wildflower Walk In search of inspiration for your next creative project; pattern, form or color play? Sometimes, you needn’t look further for fresh ideas than your own backyard! While out admiring the blooming butterfly weed in my Wildflower Walk […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Insects/Entomology, Meadow Gardens, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature
Native Pollinators: A Close Up Look at The Humble Bumble Bee …
Bumble Bee on Veronica spicata ‘Sunny Border Blue’ (Speedwell) Now that summer is in full-swing, my garden is just buzzing; filled with pollinators of all kinds. And on warm, sunny mornings, the Wildflower Walk literally hums with the sound of bumble bees. This fuzzy, sweet-looking insect is rarely aggressive and only stings when it is […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bird Friendly Gardens, Butterflies and Moths, Color in the Garden, Ferncliff, Flower Seeds, Front Yard Gardens, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Maintenance, Garden Paths, Garden Rooms, Gardening without Lawn, Native North American Meadows, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, ornamental grass, Paths and Walkways, Perennials for summer, Perennials for Winter Interest, Plant Propagation, Planting Techniques, Plants for sun, Plants for Texture, seed starting, Seed- Saving, Seeds, Weeds and Weeding, Wildflowers and Meadows, Wildlife
Strolling Along the Wildflower Walk …
A Stroll Through the Wildflower Walk in Late Afternoon The Wildflower Walk may have started as an accidental feature in my garden, but —second only to the Secret Garden— it always generates the most oohs and ahhs. And when the sunny drifts of Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) hit their crescendo in July, it’s easy to see […]
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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Berries, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Chartreuse, Color in the Garden, companion planting, Dark flowers, Dark Plants, Ferncliff, flowering shrubs, Foliage, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Plant Spotlight, Plants for Light Effects, Plants for shade, Plants for Texture, Poisonous Plants, Shade Gardening, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Woody Plants
A Bolder Shade of Summertime … Sambucus racemosa ‘Sutherland Gold’
 Sambucus racemosa ‘Sutherland Golden’ with Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Summer Wine’ in the Entry Garden Some like it hot. And, some wither and fade in the mid-day sun. Blossoms come and go quickly at this time of year, but beautiful foliage lasts all season long. Does your garden go through awkward phases throughout the summer; gaps between […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Berries, Butterflies and Moths, Cocktails, Cooking, Cooking with Kids, Fruit for home gardens, Plants for sun, Pots, Recipes, strawberries, Vegetable Gardening, Vegetable Gardening/Potager
Strawberries & Homemade Granola: Fresh Fraises des Bois for Breakfast …
Fresh Picked Alpine Strawberries or Fraises des Bois (Fragaria vesca) & Homemade Granola One of the best things about June —besides peonies— is fresh picked strawberries from the garden. I have a small but productive patch of fraises des bois (Fragaria vesca) —better known as alpine strawberries— in my potager (click here for more information […]
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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Hummingbird Moth, Pollinating Insects
A Garden of Beautiful, Magical Surprises: Meet the Hummingbird Moth …
A Hummingbird Moth (Hemaris thysbe) samples Ozark Bluestar nectar (Amsonia illustris) Out early in the garden this morning, I stopped to photograph the Ozark Bluestar (Amsonia illustris), blooming along the path. I wanted to share springtime images of this beautiful, native perennial, which I often feature in my garden designs. In autumn, Amsonia turns chartreuse, followed […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bulbs, Butterflies and Moths, Meadow Gardens, Native North American Meadows, Native Plants, Nature
Late Afternoon Sunlight in the Meadow And a Prelude to Long, Languid Summer
Camassia quamash and Clethra alnifolia – Two of My Favorite Native Plants in the Meadow Garden One of my current landscape design projects is for a new home in the middle of a high meadow. I couldn’t be more excited. Meadow gardens are some of my favorite landscapes to design. Many things influence me when […]
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