Tag Archives: Flowers for Butterflies

Seed Planting

Posted on by

A nice gathering of garden club members met in N. Mountain Park’s greenhouse last Tuesday for a seed planting workshop. Their focus was planting containers of native wildflower seeds, so that by May 11th these wildflower pollinator plants would be ready to sell at the club’s annual plant sale.

 

Horticulture Report: Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’

Posted on by

Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’
Common Name: montbretia
Type: Perennial Bulb
Height: 2-4 feet
Spread: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: June to August
Bloom Description: Scarlet red
Sun: Full sun -Part shade
Water: Medium amount, but regular watering
Maintenance: Medium
Attributes: Showy Flowers, Attracts Butterflies & Hummingbirds, Deer Resistant,
Use: Cut Garden, Mass plantings, Pool-side planting, Borders, Containers, Contemporary Garden, Cottage Garden, Hummingbird Gardens.
USDA Zone: 5-9

Drumstick Allium

Posted on by

Plant Name:  Allium sphaerocephalonAllium_Drumstick
Common name:  Persian Onion or Drumstick Allium
Plant type:  Bulb
Height:  20-24 inches
Bloom Time:  May-June
Flower Color:  Reddish-Purple
Exposure:  Full Sun- Part Sun
Soil Requirements: Well-drained fertile sandy soil
Water Needs:  Average
Attributes:   Colorful Fragrant Flowers, Interesting egg-shaped flower,  Attracts Pollinators, Easy to grow, Deer resistant , Squirrel & Rabbit resistant.
Uses:  Cut flower, Dried Flower,  Perennial Garden, Mass plantings, Garden Interest
USDA Hardiness Zone:  5-8

Growing Milkweed

Posted on by

I found a foolproof way to grow milkweed starts from seed.  Last year I had a 100% yield

20160618_160355

Oregon Native Milkweed – John Day, Oregon

on 3 different kinds of milkweed. (Seedlings are pictured on the second page of newsletter)

Click to download newsletter with instructions: Starting_Milkweed_RockbirdGardens

For anyone interested, I’ll be giving a presentation at the offices of the Pollinator Project in Phoenix, Oregon, on March 10th. “Planning and Growing a Butterfly Garden” 

Best regards,
Robin McKenzie
Rockbird Gardens