August is Seashore Mallow time. A native of coastal marshes from New York to Cuba, Seashore Mallow is just as happy in a normal garden setting as a marsh as long as it gets plenty of food and water. Otherwise it pouts and presents itself as an 18" stick. Feed and water it well and it becomes a 5' x 5' giant covered in flowers that are reminiscent of pink tropical butterflies.
Real butterflies love it.
There are still a few 'Raspberry Wine' Bee Balm flowers around, more than two months
after it started blooming. The Bidens in the background will be a sea of yellow next month.
after it started blooming. The Bidens in the background will be a sea of yellow next month.
It seems like the Joe Pye Weed has been blooming for a long time too.
It's always a butterfly favorite. It's often covered in Swallowtails but today this little butterfly was enjoying it too.
Red-Banded Hairstreak (Thanks Randy for the ID!)
This Joe Pye, growing wild in the ditch behind the big perennial bed, is the last to bloom. I prefer the wild type to the supergiant cultivars, because even the paler wild type has more color than something like 'Gateway', although I will allow that 'Gateway' has a magnificent presence.
Today I am joining Gail at clay and limestone for wonderful Wildflower Wednesday.
I love that Seashore Mallow and the Joe Pye Weed.
ReplyDeleteYour butterfly photos are fantastic.
Hope you don't get any bad weather from Irene.
Hugs ~ FlowerLady
Śliczne kwiatowe miejsce, a zdjęcia motyli wspaniałe. Też lubię "łapać" motylki aparatem fotograficznym. Pozdrawiam
ReplyDeleteA lovely offering for Wildflower Wednesday ... great butterfly shots!
ReplyDeleteI love the Hairstreak pictures. Amazing colours and textures all together on one small (very beautiful) body!
ReplyDeletedear Sweetbay, How absolutely lovely Seashore Mallow is against your blue sky~It's one of those pretty faces that tempts me but will never be happy in my too dry garden. I so like The Hair Streak butterfly nectaring on Joe-Pye~it's a beauty and you've captured it so nicely. gail PS Looks like you might be getting some rain from Irene.
ReplyDeleteYou have lovely wild weeds. We have one here whose flowers look very much like that mallows, but the plant is maybe just 1ft tall only and the flowers are just as small as 2cm. That butterfly is also big.
ReplyDeleteYour Joe Pye is gorgeous! Your mallow reminds me that I had a huge clump of it and now it's gone! Huh?!
ReplyDeleteThat Mallow is beautiful! Joe Pye is new to my garden this summer and is just starting to bloom. I hope the butterflies like it as much as they like yours.
ReplyDeleteThe Mallow is beautiful! Love your Joe Pye, too. Seeing yours makes me realize that mine is probably from the wild stock, because its stems are not as reddish as I've seen elsewhere. Lovely wildflowers, even better with lovely butterflies!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful butterfly photos! "5'x5' flowering stick"--I would love to see the Seashore Mallow-thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThat little butterfly is exquisite and beautifully photographed too.
ReplyDeletePretty in Pink and so eye catching....
ReplyDeleteThat Seashore Mallow is just a beauty. I have never seen this particular mallow before. Your butterfly shots on the Joe Pye Weed are simply amazing!! The lighting is ethereal.
ReplyDeleteSweetbay,
ReplyDeleteThe hairstreak is a Red-banded Hairstreak, not seen many of them this year missed them personally on the Durham Butterfly Count. They are more common out your way. Saw on your profile you like Eva Cassidy, I like her too, shame she passed away at such an early age.!
Thanks for the ID Randy. I knew you'd know!
ReplyDeleteDidn't Eva Cassidy have the most magical voice...
Love that first butterfly picture! Thanks so much for the tip on unchecking the sign in box. I did it and it worked! I can now leave comments again! Carla
ReplyDeleteSweetbay,you always give us the most marvelous butterfly photos. The last photo almost looks like you photoshopped the butterfly into the picture....although I know you didn't.
ReplyDeleteBeen thinking about you and Irene and hoping that you're far inland. Let us know that you're okay.
My dad died back in July, that's the main reason I haven't been blogging.
Thanks again for passing along Rose's hint for fixing my "leaving comments" problem.
donna
Love the stamens in the seashore mallow!
ReplyDeleteDear Sweetbay, I always enjoying seeing your soft and lovely Seashore Mallow. Beautiful captures of the butterflies too!
ReplyDelete