Butterfly Mystery Solved

In a previous post, I wondered what the butterflies were that were munching away at my sunflowers. Well, the mystery has been solved, and thanks everyone for your good guesses.

These are most likely Bordered Patch butterflies, Chlosyne lacinia, a pretty common one around Austin, and one I've seen a lot in my garden (as adults).

I got the bordered patch tip at Austin Butterfly Forum's butterfly identification and rearing workshop a couple of weekends ago. It was fantastic. Lots of people who know their plants and bugs.

Here's a spicebush swallowtail caterpillar we found at Zilker Park puffing up the front of its body to look like a snake.

Google Ogling

The other day, Pam at Digging posted a great piece on leaving a garden to strangers--either moving on from a garden that you've begun or inheriting a planned landscape from a previous owner.

I've had a post on a similar subject swirling around in my brain for the past few weeks, ever since I made the mistake of looking at my old garden and house via Google Maps Street View. If you've never done this before, Big Brother Google has photographed (in 360 degrees) many cities around the country. You can go to Google Maps, plug in an address and click on Street View. Or don't. You might not like what you see!

When John and I bought our first house together in Wisconsin, it looked like this:

So homely and bland our realtor discouraged us from buying it.

A year and a half later, here it is with a fresh coat of paint and the entire front yard converted to a native plant wilderness.

We removed all the grass, Japanese yews and the overgrown arbor vitae. This was my first yard, and it was rather frightening to do all of that. You can see the prairie phlox in bloom. Pale coneflower is stretching up through the green masses as well. If I were to do this over, I probably wouldn't have planted so many large woolly and wild things so close to the sidewalk, but gardening is a learning process, right?

When we sold the house, I made a comprehensive map of all the plants in the front yard and back. I hoped the new owner would appreciate the space. If not, I hoped he would at least call the Wild Ones and tell them to come dig up all the wonderful natives.

Recently, I checked on the old place for nostalgia sake (via Big Brother Google) and it revealed to me a horror. (Full disclosure: I was actually prepared for what I saw, since a neighbor friend had long ago told us the new owner was up to no good in our old garden).

Ack! The new owner pulled out all the wonderful natives and put back the grass lawn! My aching back groaned in memory when I saw this image.

And, though the resolution on this image isn't that great, it looks like he replaced the nice wildflowers around the entry walk with terrible annuals. Gone is the wild geranium, first to bloom in the spring, the butterfly weed attracting monarchs, and the phlox that filled the air with sweet scent. No more rattlesnake master, beebalm and prairie dropseed (which, by the way, I think is the most beautiful native grass ever. It smells like buttered popcorn in bloom).

Of course, I too change things when I move to a new house. There are probably old owners that cringe when they drive by (or Google ogle) and see my handiwork on the gardens they once tended with care. Alas! The lesson for me, I think, it to enjoy my garden while I have it and to be thankful for folks (like the young couple Pam consulted with) that appreciate the work that we gardeners do...

Spring Foodstuff

A tour of food things happening around the garden.

The oregano crab stands guard in front of the Mexican oregano, which is just beginning to bloom.

The raised veggie beds are going bonkers. Tomatoes, summer squash, basil, watermelon, Mexican mint marigold and spearmint and are starting to burst forth over the edges of the newer bed. Chard, green beans, tomatoes, chives and parsley bring up the rear.

A watermelon tendril wraps around itself.

This basil will be pesto soon. Yum.

Tired Pooch + Sea Oats

Normally, I get all mad when Libby is trudging through the plants and taking a nap on top of them. But in this case--taking a snooze after a nice long hike and swim at Sculpture Falls--who could be angry? So cute...

Biobigotry

What of those hateful hackberries and that grotesque garlic mustard? Natalie Angier, an amazing science writer for the NY Times, wrote yesterday about our "biobigotry," which she snarkily defines as:

"...the persistent and often irrational desire to be surrounded only by those species of which one approves, and to exclude any animals, plants and other life forms that one finds offensive."

She mostly speaks about animals--starlings and brown-headed cowbirds (hates 'em); eagles and goldfinches (loves 'em)--but I know gardeners can identify with her thesis (I know I can, on both the flora and fauna fronts).

Caterpillars and Butterflies Galor

Last weekend, I was putzing about the garden and happened upon 3 black swallowtails in various stages of pupating. These butterflies are what some old-timers call "parsleyworm," due to the their obvious preference for growing up on fennel, dill, parsley, Queen Ann's lace and others in that family. These 3 all dispersed from the fennel, and thankfully they left plenty of that yummy herb/veggie for John and I to eat.

This is what the caterpillar looks like before it sheds its outer skin to reveal the alien-like chrysalis underneath. This one found a safe spot on the parsley.


Here's the same one in chrysalis form. Notice the small string of silk that cradles the top of the chrysalis. You have to wonder how they accomplish that. This one is green, but if it had chosen a brown stem, it'd be brown.


A different one found shelter in the sea oats.


And this little black swallowtail caterpillar snuck off to do its trick on the aster. (It was like finding jewels or Easter eggs, I tell ya...)


I caught one of the monarchs emerging.

This happened the same time of year that my mom was visiting last year. I supposed the first generation of monarchs will always remind me of her visit here...

And finally, anyone know what these critters are? These have totally devoured a sunflower and are moving to the others. They group together when smaller, but seem to be dispersing now. I'm not sure if they will get larger before pupating. Nor do I know why there are two different morphs (one blacker, one oranger).

Squash Blossom

This is my first year planting summer squash in Texas, and I'm doing it--against most recommendations--in one of the raised beds. I planted two plants. The blossoms are gorgeous--just look at that deep orange-yellow. We've already harvested one squash and it was delish on a salad with roasted beets. Mmmm. I'm hoping we can get some more before the squash bugs find it, which may be soon...

Speaking of the beds, I'll have to photo them soon. The tomatoes are fixin' to take over, the watermelon vine is twisting its way about and the basil is almost already big enough for a batch of pesto (I love that!).