Here are a couple of pics I took today of my lilac butterfly bush... it just started blooming. There is a beautiful yellow and black large swallowtail butterfly that has been visiting for a few days on it, and alot of little "skippers" small tan butterflys.
How is everyones gardens doing right now? My veggies are starting to form, I will post pics soon, when they get a bit bigger.
Yes!!! Thats the one that was at a flower show at Adare, Kilarney...isnt it beautiful.Rare as hens teeth, as they say.lol!
aww gosh Maureen you didnt have to go trekking the Himalayas for us
Love the butterfly bush (buddleia davidii?). I pulled a few plants that were growing out of brickwork and pavements in the middle of Birmingham (England) to bring over to our new garden in Donegal - they failed miserably! Isn't gardening frustrating sometimes.
I just bought a healthy, locally grown, plant at the weekend and will see how that goes. I've not managed to destroy one before and I remember how the ones in our English garden grew and grew and attracted loads of butterflies, bees and the birds that ate them. I'll take cuttings from the new one so I'll have a good stock of plants for next year. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
hiya charliegarratt
My butterfly bush never needs looking after at all. When we were in a drought it looked dead and as soon as the rains came it began to come good again and looks nice and healthy again now.
Hello Charlie... its great to see you! As far as gardening being frustrating sometimes... here's a quote from this weeks newsletter at one of my favorite plant nurseries here...
Quotation of the Week:
"If you are not killing plants, you are not really stretching yourself as a gardener."
~ J. C. Raulston
Hi Sunny....do you have a large or small garden........one friend of mine had to move due to work....the flat she rented only had a big yard....no grass.....so she painted the brick walls white, put some trellis....painted blue.....in certain parts on the walls .....then she used all sorts of containers....ie.....old belfast sink.....plant pot holders ......and she ended up with a fantastic retreat....including a small table and chairs to sit out.(she got them for a few euros from an add in local shop window.....).....wish I had asked her to take a pic at the time......cheers Katy
Love the butterfly bush (buddleia davidii?). I pulled a few plants that were growing out of brickwork and pavements in...
Hi Charlie.....hows the homestead garden doing or has the weather played havoc.....hope all is well, and your not over doing things.....call by my kitchen for coffee when you get time out and dish all the latest gossip...of your part of Ireland.....blessing Katy
hiya Katy,
I have a very big front and backyard,( like all home owners down here) and gardens,,,they are a real mess at the moment as its to cold with the wind to be out there weeding..
The only thing good about this winter is that the grass doesnt grow as fast
Hi Sunny........Katy cut her grass and hedges before I went on holiday in June to Ireland.....been staying at families for nearly three weeks now, with not being well......aaahhh!! I am scared to think what my garden looks like.....family do check things for me....but just smile when I mention garden???......cheers Katy
Hi Katy, sorry to hear that you are not feeling well, take sunnyway's advice and get yourself better first, the garden can wait! I hope that you will make a speedy recovery.
thank you 
