My gardens are flourishing this spring, with a profusion of clematis blooms on the butterfly garden's trellis, and a fluttery visitor or two as well. All this with almost no effort on my part.
As the lazy gardener that I am, I purposely chose plants that require little to no care or watering. Native plants are best for this - plants which are at home in your planting zone and native to your corner of the world. Once they take root, they need very little attention, as long as they are situated in the right spot for sun exposure, drainage, and eventual plant size.
I checked, double checked, and re-checked everything before planting, so everything has come in beautifully, and I only have to pay my gardens the occasional visit for weeding, pruning, or watering. Nature does the rest, just as she should. Any other attention I give my plants is just from the pleasure of looking at them.
No monarchs in sight yet, but my Lamium did receive a visit from a male cabbage white butterfly, who let me get as close as six inches from him to take my photographs. What a shame my normal camera died. I had to take this with my iPod, and I'm sorry to say it came out a little grainy. All the same, a lovely shot, and I'm glad to see my plantings getting some good use by the local wildlife!
