Who doesn’t love butterflies?
Light, lilting, gently on the move. Isn’t your day better when a butterfly visits? How we treasure our special sightings!
Migrating from Maine to Mexico between September and October, one wonders, “How on Earth are butterflies possible?” How did they come about in the history of the planet? I guess we all get by with a little help from our friends, and it’s no different for butterflies.
Dependent upon pollinators from beginning to end, the Medieval Magic Gardens are intentionally planted to support winged friends with something on the menu for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and moths, all the way from Spring’s last frost to Autumn’s first crackling frost- It is a long and beautiful dance –
The Plantings
The Plantings, in order of appearance, are so good for everyone:
- Apple Blossoms- tooth and mouth health, great dentifrice since time out of mind
- Plum Blossoms- astringent, laxative
- Blueberry Bells by the thousands-so high in anti-oxidants, promote eye health, cancer fighters
- Hawthorn Umbrels- heart palpitations, vein, artery and capillary support, relaxing to a nervous heart
- Lady’s Mantle Blossoms-blood coagulant, great oral rinse after extraction
- Yarrow Flowers-colds, measles, fever, excellent dressing for open wounds
- Chive Blossoms-burns and skin blemishes, prevents blistering, digestive, cancer prevention food
- High Bush Cranberry Umbrels- anti-spasmodic
- Walkers Garlic Blossoms-regularizes liver function, blood pressure and counteracts arterial sclerosis
- Raspberry Blossoms- astringent, cancer fighter
- Elderflowers- top beauty and skin care herb. The ‘Queen of Cosmetic Repair’
- Monarda Flowers- fever, headache, cold, sore throat
- Echinacea Flowers-eczema, acne and boils,
- Sunflowers- powerful pain relief
- Phlox- nectar and pollen, a favorite of hummingbird moths
- Cleome- pollen, nectar
- Goldenrod Tops-stomach weakness, digestion
- Astor Blossoms- Autumn favorite of butterflies
- Cosmos- pollen, nectar
Milkweed Magic
Milkweed on the property provides the preferred egg-laying habitat and necessary food for emerging caterpillars. I leave 1/4+ acre wild under Goldenrod, St. Johnswort, Astors and Milkweed, plus the annual corps de volunteers. (What activity lives there! What hum, what a thrummm…! I think you’d really like it!) Native Americans wove satchels and baskets from Milkweed stems’ long fibers; portions of the plant are nutrient dense and edible’
Flying squirrels
Flying squirrels, so dear to my heart, fill nest boxes on the property with downy silver Milkweed seed fluff and sleep the days away here in comfort and privacy. I find the fragrance heavenly on the breeze of a warm summer evening. The web of life is so very inter-connected here! (As it is naturally, everywhere.)
The Butterfly Release
Yesterday, Sept. 11, 2016, Mark’s Lawn and Garden of Bridgton, Maine held a butterfly release, freeing hundreds of Monarchs. Opening the tops of the butterfly houses, more than 500 tender, fluttering miracles emerged ! Symbolically, I love that they were set free on the Anniversary of 9/11, don’t you?
