It is hot and humid, typical for summer in North Carolina. As we enter July the garden is thirsty. I’m hand watering every other day which has the benefit of keeping close check on the progress of individual plants. Since June 7 daylilies have been flowering. I can’t get enough of this particular one. It seems to have swallowed the morning sun.
Hemerocallis (Daylily)
Hemerocallis (Daylily)
This week brought a first-of-year garden sighting of a butterfly only ever observed here once before, in July 2019. It didn’t stay put very long.
Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
A Snowberry Clearwing made a brief buzz-by. This butterfly bush was a busy hub today, also hosting a variety of bees, several skippers and a worn swallowtail.
Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis)
Ocola Skipper (Panoquina ocola) and Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
Dahlias planted in early April have grown slowly. The first flower of D. ‘Noordwijks Glorie’ opened up this week. It is showy in the garden itself and promises to be valuable in arrangements as well.
Dahlia Decorative ‘Noordwijks Glorie’
Happy Sunday!
pbmGarden 
Beauty abounds! I’m happy to see your winged visitors. You must have a very fast shutter speed to catch them!
Thanks Eliza. Also happy to start seeing winged visitors–they’ve been scarce. My iPhone does a decent job but often I wish I’d learned how to use better camera equipment.
That daylily is indeed luscious, Susie. I’m glad the butterflies are starting the summer season off right.
The butterflies are slowly arriving. They seem determined to stay out of camera range.
Gorgeous daylily, and thanks for sharing your winged visitors because I’m not seeing many. It’s kind of worrisome when I can work outside for several hours and see maybe two bees if I’m lucky.
Judy, that is concerning not to see bees! Until this past week the bees have had the garden to themselves, especially enjoying salvia and verbena bonariensis. I’m sure you’ve given them plenty to eat and hope they show up soon.
I don’t get that many different butterflies. So it’s nice to see yours and their names.
Haven’t seen many butterflies yet this year. Last year I recorded them all in a journal and noted 31 different species. This year I’m just going to enjoy seeing them.
What a gorgeous day lily! The Fritillary is really pretty – I haven’t seen any this year yet. 😃
Thanks Cathy. Hope it will be a good summer for butterflying!
Lovely butterflies; aside from a few cabbage moths I haven’t seen a single one yet up here.
Thanks Chris. Butterflies are just beginning to show up here, but not seeing as many as I did last year this time. Hope yours come visit soon!