I’m Libby Breitenbaugh, and I garden in Zone 8a in Irmo, South Carolina. I’m sharing a few photos from summer 2022. I have been gardening for over 30 years. I previously shared photos of the butterfly garden I started in 2016 (Libby’s Butterfly Garden in South Carolina). When I began gardening for wildlife, my butterfly garden slowly transformed into a bird-, bee-, and butterfly-friendly garden. I also incorporate herbs and vegetables in my garden. I stopped using chemical pesticides and opted for natural alternatives. Since doing so my bee population has doubled. I also compost my kitchen scraps and yard trimmings. My garden consists of natives, perennials, and annual plants. I have both nectar and host plants, and I always include milkweed for the monarchs. You can have a beautiful garden that supports backyard wildlife. My garden supplies shelter, food, and water for my all my visitors. I also enjoy taking photos of my garden and all its visitors.
Clematis ‘Henryi’, Zones 4–8
Bumblebee on Salvia farinacea (Zones 7–10 or as annual)
This garden path is lined with lambs’ ears (Stachys byzantina, Zones 4–8), with the rest of the bed filled with colorful flowers including coneflowers (Echinacea hybrids, Zones 4–8) and Salvia ‘Vista’ (Zones 9–11 or as an annual).
This garden urn is overflowing with petunias (Petunia hybrids, annual), with an upright spire of Cordyline australis (Zones 9–11) and a trailing curtain of golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’, Zones 3–9).
A bright male American goldfinch hangs out on a zinnia (Zinnia elegans, annual) flower.
A monarch butterfly fuels up on at a butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii, Zones 5–9).
Beautiful pathway through the gardens
A pipevine swallowtail butterfly on a zinnia
A female ruby-throated hummingbird gathers nectar from a pentas (Pentas lanceolata, Zones 10–11 or as an annual).
These phlox look like they might be the ‘Fashionably Early’ (Phlox hybrid, Zones 4–8) hybrid phlox, which bloom earlier and stay shorter than the traditional garden phlox (Phlox paniculata, Zones 4–8).
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Comments
Nice post i am glad too see it. Want another article. save with blog
Thank you!
Beautiful garden in every aspect… and excellent photos
Thank you!
That urn with the petunias, Cordyline, and creeping Jenny is just gorgeous. I'm going to try that combination but the shape and color of the urn really showcases those flowers, sadly I don't have any urns to use. Maybe a trip to an antique store might remedy that?
Thank you so much! I used the thriller-filler-spiller method for arranging the urn. I purchased the urn last spring at our Home Depot. I would try looking on their website searching under urns. I was surprised by how many urns they carry online.
You've really planted a pretty garden that nature just loves!
Great photos of the creatures on the flowers, and I love the garden arch and bird feeders- they always bring interest to a garden- such a nice space you created!
What a wonderful, encouraging comment. Thank you so much!
What a beautiful garden and natural habitat you have created. Thanks for sharing.
By the way, my mother was a Breitenbaugh. Related?
Thank you! Your mother would almost have to be related to my husband. Very few people with that name and spelling. May I ask what her first name is?
Beautiful photography, especially the creature visitors.
Thank you!
All so very pretty!
Thank you!
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