Flowers, Seeds, Chicks

It seems everyone has the gardening bug this spring, and a cute display

 in front of Selma Hardware sure attracted my attention! I've been

 in garden centers recently where people who have never 

planted vegetables before are trying it this year.

 One older couple told a cashier that they hadn't planted a garden in years,

 but frankly, fresh veggies just cost so much at the store that it's time

 to once again plant their own in God's good earth! It appears that some

folks may also be raising their own chickens and eggs!

How about you?

Are you planting food in your yard or garden space this year?

Paths and Passages 2

Continuing the February 1 theme, here's my second choice for paths and passages...a narrow, curving path behind Sturdivant Hall Museum. It leads us through lush gardens and to a goldfish pond guarded by the statue of an angel.

I took this photo last summer, and if we look up, you can see a nice surprise, an unripened lemon in a tree.

Click photo to see a larger image.

Save the Butterfly Day

April 16 is "Save the Butterfly Day" in Alabama, and the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail was declared Selma's mascot in 1982 and the state butterfly in 1989.
Selma is also the "Butterfly Capital of Alabama."
I took this photo of a swallowtail in my zinnia bed several years ago and was fortunate to capture it with its wings spread across two flowers. It was used in a local magazine article about "Madame Butterfly," or Mrs. Mallieve Breeding. She led a community effort to save the butterflies here.

Believing a garden should be "a thing of beauty as well as a thing of conservation," Mrs. Breeding spoke to civic clubs, schools, the city council and anyone who would listen. She explained that butterflies are a sign of a healthy environment, but pollution, overly aggressive mosquito control and lawn care are some of the means that destroy butterfly habitats.

Today, there is a Mallieve Breeding Butterfly Garden at the School of Discovery. Wildflowers have been planted along U.S. Highway 80, and Mrs. Breeding - now a well-known butterfly consultant - remains Madame Butterfly, even to adults who first heard her appeals when they were school children.

HOW TO ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES

Butterflies need trees, flowers and other plants that support the four stages of metamorphosis from egg laying to food to pollination. They also thrive in areas where they can access water in shallow pans and and stones in sunny areas. Sunlight is necessary for nectar production, and butterflies require warmth to maintain temperature.

Trees in the Selma area include: poplar, ash, crabapple, dogwood, oak, persimmon and pear.
Flowering annuals are: marigold, ageratum, salvia, delphinium, impatiens and pansy.
Flowering perennials: daylily, hibiscus, goldenrod, lantana, periwinkle, zinnia, verbena, butterfly weed, canna and black-eyed susan
Herbs include: parsley, mint, chives, onion and rosemary