HOA Injustice
One day as my daughter and I strolled through her neighborhood, she pointed out a lovely garden and told me a story of HOA injustice which prompted me to write “Death in the Butterfly Garden”, published in SoWest: Killer Nights. The woman was required to remove a bedraggled-looking plant, though she argued it would regrow the leaves eaten by butterfly larvae. Her story didn’t have a happy ending, but it opened my eyes to the plight of monarch butterflies and what I could do to help.
Monarch butterflies are on the decline. They lay their eggs on only one type of plant, milkweed, which is also endangered. But you can help as I have – easily! How you ask? Just tootle on down to your local nursery, ask about milkweed native to your area, and plant a bush. If you like plenty of company, plant two or eight. When you plant it, they will come. And baby caterpillars are ravenous as zombies.
At this stage, your butterfly garden may be pretty much complete. You have a host plant to shelter the eggs and provide cover and nourishment for the caterpillars. Milkweed flowers also provide nectar for the adult butterflies. But you may want more nectar plants to provide gastronomic variety for your graceful guests. Zinnias and snapdragons are big favorites in our garden smorgasbord, as are the red flowers of the Jatropha tree.
In future posts, I’ll share more information about the secret lives of butterflies. But for now, I’ll leave you with a few important tips. Your milkweed is a living condominium and food source – don’t spray it with poisons. And watch for those little residents, beginning as specs, and first viewable as caterpillars the diameter of pencil lead about a half inch long. Their eating habits allow them to grow at an astronomic rate. Black and yellow stripes become prominent and they’re often found hanging from the underside of leaves. In about ten days, they’ll form a translucent chrysalis the color of fine jade. And you’ll become the proud parent of a new Monarch butterfly, that calls your garden its home.
Inspired by the Bible story of Elijah raising the widow’s son from the dead, author Dana McNeely wondered what became of the boy. She began research for her novel, “Rain,” which tells the story of the three-and-a-half-year drought from his perspective. No stranger to drought, Dana lives in an Arizona oasis with her hubby the constant gardener, two good dogs, an antisocial cat, and migrating butterflies.
In 2021 RAIN became a finalist in The Christy Award (use the registered mark) and was also a finalist in the 2022 ACFW Carol Award® and was also a finalist in the 2022 ACFW Carol Award.
WHIRLWIND, the second novel in the “Whispers on the Wind” series, tells the story of a king’s downfall and a love that transcends war.
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Thank you for all the great tips on butterflies. I had no idea milkweed doubled as shelter and food source for butterflies. I look forward to more posts!
Thanks for dropping in, Greer! Yes, milkweed is a versatile plant! It’s easy to grow and pretty in the garden. The best part is when the butterflies take up residence.
Im looking forward to Spring and pkanting some milkweed. Thank you for enlightening me on what i thought was a worthless weed.
Yes, Emily. Milkweed can be pretty – at least I think so! Over the weekend I’ll post some pictures of milkweed in our garden. And once the butterflies start making your garden their home, it’s such a warm feeling! Dana
Hi Dana! Before my husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and subsequently needed 24/7 care, we were part of the Dallas County Lepidopterists Society and docents for the butterfly gardens at Texas Discovery Gardens. We had a wonderful butterfly garden, but lack of time to care for it and people who “helped” with the yard did it in, except for our hop ash tree that attracts Giant Swallowtails. I am planning on planting milkweed in pots this spring so they can’t get mowed. 🙂
Robyn, you’re a wonderful wife. May God give you strength and joy.
We put milkweed in pots, as well as in the ground. People misunderstand the way they look after the caterpillars have eaten all the leaves. You and I know they just need to be trimmed back a little.
Hi Dana – thanks for the info. I plant a vegetable garden, a gourd garden, and several flower gardens each spring. The flower gardens are so I can watch all the birds and butterflies when I’m sitting outside enjoying life. I might just add a milkweed plant or two. 😊 Patricia
Patricia, you’ll be glad if you do. It’s fun to find the jade green cocoons here and there and wonderful to watch them emerge! Dana