“My spirit was lifted and my soul nourished by my time in the garden. It gave me a calm connection with all of life, and an awareness that remains with me now, long after leaving the garden.” Nancy Ross
Female monarch butterfly rests on a tropical milkweed plant.
Monarchs overwinter in Mexico, journey north and arrive in Alabama in February and March. Two beautiful adventurers were spotted in a garden in South Mobile County on February 2. Landing on a bedraggled tropical milkweed, the female deposited her eggs and then continued her journey north. Learn more about these remarkable Lepidoptera at the Journey North website.
Make a calm connection with life by developing a garden attracting pollinators, including the monarch. The following links will help in making appropriate choices.
Shore Acres, located on Bellingrath Road in South Mobile County, is a commercial plant farm that welcomes backyard gardeners. It sells a huge variety of plants and an excellent potting soil. Plan a trip to South Mobile County soon.
US Hardiness Zones Big box stores sometimes sell plants that may not be suitable for the local climate. Avoid disappointment by referring to a hardiness zone map to determine the zone in which one gardens.