I started a native pollinator garden last year to encourage butterflies. Planting host plants and nectar plants, concentrating on native annuals that will reseed themselves. Theory is native flowers attract native insects- the benefits to me; I won’t have to replant all the time and I hopefully end up with a meadowy mixed wildflower garden. And lots of butterflies. Thus far, the plants are sticking with their own kind and making big drifts, not mixing as of yet.
I recently decided to run my garden specifications through the Native Plant Society “let us choose your plant” web page. Thinking I might get some suggestions to add some other plants to the garden. Ironically, it said no wildflowers will grow in your garden. I guess I should let the butterflies and flowers know about this?
Here is a close up. The vase is someone’s cast off from pottery class I bought at GoodWill (charity shop) for $2, I have really enjoyed their work and use this vase frequently. The red and yellow Gallardia (Gallardia pulchella – Florida native) is going gangbusters in my gardens, cross pollinating and making new colors. The yellow and orange spikes are from Bulbine (not sure which one), the Bulbine has been flowering for a couple of months and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. This is a new favorite. The foliage and brown pods are from the native Senna (Senna ligustrina) – I planted this to attract Sulphur Butterflies and they appeared soon after it was planted in the garden.
Here’s my new Gallardia color, pink! I am still chasing the Sulphur Butterflies around for a photo-op.
The Shrub Queen 
A very pretty pairing, Amelia! The Bulbine looks like B. frutescens ‘Hallmark’. I grow it too, as well as the Gaillardia. Neither is considered a native in my area of SoCal but they’re certainly well-adapted.
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Thank you, that is interesting I will ask the grower about Hallmark, that plant is a lot more floriferous than the other ones I have.
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The gaillardia are gorgeous and I would be really happy if they were native to the UK too. Although ‘perennial’, they rarely last more than a season or two; I have grown some from seed again this year and I suppose that is how best to do it if they don’t stick around. Yours make for a very warm vase today, with the addition of that bulbine – thanks for sharing it
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Odd they are considered perennials in the UK. It may be a different variety, there are so many now. This is one of those rare plants nearly all of us can grow. The only other one I can think of is Oxalis.
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Very nice, Amelia! I like the Bulbines a lot, both the color and form.
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Thank you, Eliza
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Oh, you have bulbine! I had not seen it since the 1980s. Then, suddenly, it showed up in abundance in a common strip mall landscape in Scott’s Valley. Before I could ‘borrow’ some, someone at work brought me a bucket of bits to plug into our landscapes. I still really dig it, even though it is nothing spectacular.
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It is an interesting plant, that one is really nice.Whatever it is.
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The vase of gaillardia looks like the summer sun, bright and cheery.
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Thank you, it is a bit of a mood enhancer.
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So no wildflowers can grow? That’s funny. My bulbine has drowned at some point and I need to find some replacements. We are still very wet this year.
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It is funny and what, absurd, silly – I have a very few places on the Internet I believe. they just lost me. I love the Bulbine, guessing it needs some sharp drainage which is not a problem here.
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I love the bulbines – another new plant to me – and the pods of the senna look surprisingly good in a vase!
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the Bulbines are a fairly recent addition, I am loving them, too. The Senna, kind of a odd addition – there it was, hmmm.
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It must be hot there. Lovely vase.
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Actually – this spring has been really nice and it is still not hot – by Florida standards.
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I think their common name is ‘Indian Blanket’? (Might be wrong?) I love that – I close my eyes and see something wonderful and then open them and see your vase! How funny that some computer beastie decided that wildflowers would not grow with you!
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Yes, Indian Blanket. That is a beastie!
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But a beautiful one! They are definitely annuals here.
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