Video: Pentas Flower

This beautiful butterfly drinking nectar from a penta flower while resisting the wind.

Lamb's Ear

Many people think of lamb’s ear, the fuzzy silver-leafed perennial that grows a few inches tall, as a weed.

But reconsider: It’s drought-tolerant, deer-resistant thrives with benign neglect, adds color and texture, beckons kids to pet it without getting pricked by thorns and is attractive to bees and butterflies.

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Program to explain 'Landscaping on the Wild Side'

ARTHUR — University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator Sandy Mason will share easy ways to develop an attractive landscape that birds, butterflies and other wildlife will appreciate during the program “Landscaping on the Wild Side – Attracting Wildlife to your Yard.”

The program will be offered twice: at 1 p.m. July 14 and at 7 p.m. July 16.All programs offered in this summer series will be held at Moultrie-Douglas Extension office, 122 S. Walnut St., Arthur.

The presentation will be via the University of Illinois telenet system and local computer Power Point presentations, allowing live discussion between the instructor and gardeners throughout Illinois.

islandpacket.com | What plants help attract butterflies?

"Build it and they will come," he said, and he was right.

It was in February of 2005 when Carlos Chacon, manager of natural history at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn on Hilton Head Island, spoke these words to members of the island Garden Council who were interested in helping build a butterfly enclosure on the museum grounds.

More than four years later on June 4, a crowd of nature lovers came to attend the ribbon-cutting dedication of the butterfly house and surrounding gardens with their myriad of butterflies. Michael Marks, president and CEO of the museum, thanked the hardworking museum employees, volunteers and donors, especially Karen Wertheimer, whose memory the museum is dedicated.

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islandpacket.com What plants help attract butterflies?

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Brilliant Blossoms for Butterflies

Being a good environmentalist is often about not doing something, but here’s a fun activity that’s good for you to do: create a butterfly habitat in your backyard. This simple project helps both the environment and one little creature that is always a joy to watch—the butterfly.

It’s easy to welcome butterflies into your garden, just follow these four steps.

• Plant flowers in large groupings. It helps butterflies notice them.


• Butterflies favorite perennials include: Butterfly Bush (Buddleia), Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Asters, Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Brazilian Verbena (Verbena bonariensis), Catmint (Nepeta), Daylily (Hemerocallis), Goldenrod (Solidago), Ironweed (Vernonia), Lavender, and Phlox.


• Annuals that butterflies love are: Cosmos, Lantana (it’s perennial in some areas, and annual in others), Marigolds, Sweet Alyssum, and Zinnias.


• Butterflies and caterpillars can be affected by herbicides and pesticides—even organic products. Before you use a product on or near your butterfly habitat, read the label carefully.
  
  ~Amanda Miller

Photo Credit: iStockPhoto.com