“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.
Garden Design
Shore Acres Plant Farm
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.