After a slow start this year, and then a lot of rain, the pollinator garden and monarch waystation is now in a phase that I love: when every time you visit, you're sure to see life and activity in it. I've started to see monarchs in it but have not yet been able to get a picture. The first of the flowers planted from seeds are now blooming; as those continue to come along, there will be more butterflies and more photo opportunities.
The star of the garden these days is this plant called wild bergamot:
I bought it as a very small plant last year and had no idea it would grow as large as it has. It is beloved by many species of native bees, such as this one:
Apparently, hummingbirds and butterflies love it, too, so it's an all-around great plant for a pollinator garden. In addition to providing nectar, our garden is also a habitat. Recently, I saw this huge beetle flying around, and then it settled into a plant to take a rest:
In this photo, its head is down, and it's using its back feet to hold itself in place. I looked it up later and found out that it's a grapevine beetle. Especially now that more things are blooming, take some time to watch and to notice what comes to the garden, and how it makes use of the plants that are there. The more you stand quietly and watch, the more interesting things you'll see!
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