Butterflies, butterflies, and more butterflies....

The Rose Garden in Hershey, PA opened up a brand new Butterfly House this year!  We had the opportunity to visit it in early Sept. this year! 

Wow, what a photo op!  Both of us were busy taking pictures.  I don't know if they were trained to pose or what.  I've been in one in AZ and thought that was awesome but this one seemed to have a larger variety and larger amount of butterflies. 

They told us the butterflies only live for 3 weeks so they have to release new ones frequently. They have a supply of chrysalises from all over the world hatching on schedules to keep their "house" full!  Amazing!

Fall color in the garden.....

My garden beds seem to quiet down after the Coneflower petals disappear.  Some of the hostas hang in there along with annuals yet, but it seems to lack the general color I have most of the growing season.   

A visit to Bonnie's always finds color all seasons it seems.  How's this for Sept. color? This bed seems packed with it yet!

A shady trio for you!

How's this for a punch of color in a shade garden!

Yep, once again, I found this scene on a garden tour this summer.

Gardening friends, Sherrie and Denny, had their gardens on our local garden tour.  A bit of everything in their large piece of heaven, sun, shade, part shade, fairy gardens and even a live peacock!

It's always a treat to visit their gardening paradise!  She has a spectacular new tall lily I didn't get to see so that gives me an excuse to get back there next August to get a picture for you!

A spectacular centerpiece!

Yep, spotted this on a garden tour this summer! 

Black-eyed Susans....

It just isn't late summer or fall without seeing the clumps of this favorite flower all over!

Whatever you call them, Black-eyed Susans, Rudbeckias or any of the other common names,  they are spectacular!  They always make me smile when I see them!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PLANT CLICK HERE!

These are pictures I took this fall at gardening friend Nancy's gardens!

How's this for an unusual planter?

Well, not only does this catch your eye quickly!  You need a large garden to display it in!

Absolutely delightful!

  It was on the Rochester Garden Club Annual Garden Tour this year!

Cooler temps are coming.....

Time to start thinking about what to do with the container plantings and fairy gardens that use desert succulents in them!  30 degrees outside is about the maximum temperature they will survive in!

I am including a link to a website that has some good information on what to do to move your desert succulents into the house for the winter.  Or, you can do what I occasionally do, consider them annuals like I do other plants that won't survive our MN temperatures lower than 32 degrees.  In the past found I've found new homes for them and even have composted them with other annuals. 

I do have a neighbor that is willing to come in and water them for me while we are gone south for three months this winter!  So I am considering bringing them all inside this year.  I do have a fairy garden I brought in last year and took with me to and from AZ and enjoyed it again this summer. 

Needless to say, my husband thought I was crazy!  But I just considered it's like his golf clubs, they go to AZ and come back to MN with us! 

This is a new fairy garden this year!

This is a hanging planter I brought to MN from AZ this year!

This is a new container I planted this year!

 The below link is to a website that has lots of information on wintering over desert succulents.  It advertises books but  I follow this website because there are often lots of good information in it!
For information in bringing succulents indoors for MN winters.. CLICK HERE