Fall at the Nursery

 It is fall at the nursery and I for one couldn't be happier.  The weather has been amazing lately and the butterflies are everywhere which makes me ecstatic!!  

 The Dwarf Japanese Black Pines look like huggable teddy bears to me- I just love these!!

 The Japanese Maples have been showing off and doing their fall color display.

The Red Admiral Butterflies seemed to enjoy the white Lantana...

and the Gulf Fritillary seemed to enjoy the white Leucantha.

 Probably my most favorite sighting though has been the Monarchs- they are all over the place.  It is magical.  I counted 8 varieties of butterflies yesterday when out taking photos.  EIGHT!

 The Coral Bean never disappoints- such a show stopping display of red blooms!!

Hard to say which plant was most popular.... Lantana, Salvia, Butterfly Bush, Milkweed.... just to name a few- they were all over the place.  

  I am not sure what was going on with this guy- someone told me he had freshly gotten out of his cocoon and so his wings hadn't dried out?  Never heard of that- anyone heard of that?

Plants are blooming, leaves are changing colors, succulents are turning their new shades with the cooler temps.  All of it has been wonderful!!  It's a wonderful time to be outside and enjoy nature.  The birds are chirping, bees are buzzing and the butterflies are fluttering about.
Hope you enjoyed the pics!!

Diving in the Dianthus

 The Swallowtails were having a heyday this week in the Dianthus. 

 They were all over it!  It was so fun to watch. 

 They looked like they were falling into the blooms!

  They could have cared less that I was right there with them- 

they were totally content in "Dianthus love".  

                                                      I got a couple of double shots too!!!

He was looking right at me- it was so funny!

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  I am personally loving this weather.  Things are blooming all over the place and everything is coming to life!

Look Who Came Out to Play!

I love this time of year when the butterflies and the bees come around. We have so many different plants that attract a variety of different bees, butterflies and even hummingbirds. I have been successful in capturing the bees and several different types of butterflies, though the hummingbirds have proven a bigger challenge for me. Today I had so much fun following this Swallowtail. He was obviously very happy going between the different Milkweed plants. I had so much fun capturing him. While I was watching him and letting him pose for the camera I saw a Monarch. I wasn't able to capture him but I thought it was too early for those but I know it was one. Hopefully he will come back today and I can capture his photo as well. Hope you enjoy the photos half as much as I did taking them.