More Summer Snapshots!

I found this chubby caterpillar crawling up the milkweed this morning. Maybe he was looking for a good place to spin his chrysalis?

Monarch caterpillar

This Monarch butterfly stayed still for this photo longer than I expected. Monarchs really enjoy sipping the nectar from our Butterfly Bush.

Monarch on Butterfly Bush

My dear friend Donna (who is a wonderful photographer!) sent me this beautiful shot from her garden. Purple coneflowers are one of my favorite nectar plants. The bees like them too!

Donna Williams Photography

Our Kitchen Garden Part III

We added a stone path that leads from our back porch to the garden. This is one of my favorite design aspects of the garden. I enjoy watching the kids skip along the path on their way to the garden.

Then Allison's crew planted boxwood around the perimeter of the raised beds. I thought this would soften the look and I've always admired boxwood hedges. 

The electrical outlet is now behind the fountain.

Edging was installed to define the garden space. It also keeps the gravel in and the grass out.

Next up:  what I planted!

Update: Black Swallowtail Caterpillars

I recently posted a photo of some Black Swallowtail caterpillars on the parsley in our kitchen garden. Look at them now!

The host plants for Black Swallowtails include parsley, dill, fennel, carrots, and Queen Anne's lace.

Our Kitchen Garden Part II

Allison's crew continued to build our raised beds and filled them with compost, peat moss, and vermiculite.

The electrical outlet began to stick out like a sore thumb so I requested that the electrician move it somewhere less obvious. Our fountain arrived... I loved it even more when I saw it in person. It's color and style go well with the design of our Mediterranean home. And the sound of the water flowing is so calming. Our neighbor directly behind us said he enjoys listening to it while he has his coffee on the back porch in the morning. The benches were also added to the raised beds. I thought this made the garden a little more formal and allowed for places to sit. Pea gravel was placed over the landscape fabric as well.

I purchased this Meyer Lemon tree at the Leu Gardens plant sale last year (a great place to buy citrus trees by the way). We used to live in the San Francisco area and I've always remembered the lemon trees covered with fruit. We never had to buy lemons back then. I could not decide where to plant it in the yard so it was in a large pot on the back porch. It had just about outgrew the pot so Allison helped me decide where to plant it. It is now located on the right side of our backyard in front of the kitchen garden. I think it makes a nice specimen tree next to the kitchen garden and contributes to the overall feel I was going for. It also attracts bees when it is in bloom and boy, do those lemon blossoms smell good when I walk outside!

Summer Snapshots!

In the garden today...

Gulf Fritillary on purple Vinca

Young Black Swallowtail caterpillars (3) on parsley
in the kitchen garden. I need to plant more parsley!

Our Kitchen Garden Part 1

In addition to butterfly gardening, I enjoy growing vegetables. I have been busy with a new project over the past month, our new kitchen garden. I've been reading about kitchen gardens for years and saving photos and ideas. So I definitely had a vision for this garden. After observing how the sunlight hits our yard and consulting with Allison Palmer of Palmer's Garden & Goods, we finally decided on a location in our backyard.

An electrical outlet for the fountain was installed first. Then the existing grass was removed.

I wanted raised beds with benches (that were not too high for my 4 year old son to reach), pea gravel, and boxwood. I also wanted to retain enough green space for our three dogs. Allison proposed a water feature and stepping stones that lead from our house to the garden. 

Allison's crew installed landscape fabric over the garden space and quickly began building the raised beds.

More to come! :-)