It's Gardening Week...Let's Plant Butterfly and Bee Baskets!!!!

Happy Monday from the Toadstool!!!  The weather has made a remarkable recovery up here in the woods.  It's time to get outside and do some planting!  We wanted to plant some baskets this year that were full of bee and butterfly friendly flowers and plants.  This morning, before heading out to the greenhouses, we did some research on what kinds of plants we'd need.  I found THIS link very helpful for determining some of the butterfly friendly plants.  Here is a short list: 

for butterflies...zinnia, sage, marjoram, violets, asters, verbena, dainthus, pincushion

and for the bees...asters, sage, basil, lavendar, rosemary, zinnia, calendula, verbena, gaillardia

*this is just a short list...and these were some of the plants I knew would be easy to find in our local greenhouses.

here are some of the butterfly friendly plants that we got...zinnia's, sage, dianthus, violets

and for the bees...verbena, rosemary and lavendar...

Ruby is putting soil in our baskets...we just used potting soil...

and here she is planting one of our butterfly friendly hanging baskets...

this is one of the butterfly friendly baskets...all done!

This was a wonderful project to do with Ruby...she helped with the research and came with me to pick out the plants...it's a tremendous way to teach about the importance of butterflies and bees as well., (our bee friendly basket is at the top of the post)!

We also had an inpromptu visit from our lovely friend Megan, (and her son Oscar)...she was on her way to the city when her vehicle started to "smoke"...so, on her way back to her homestead, she stopped by...and how honoured were we to have her come by, not only because we adore her, but because it was her BIRTHDAY!!!!  Dinner and cake were in order, and of course we sent her off with a butterfly basket of her own!!!  Happy Birthday dear kindred soul...we love you Megan!!!! (and Oscar too)

Happy Gardening Everyone!!!!!

Come back every day this week, for some delightful garden projects and inspiration!!!!

Maureen