Three Ways to Help the Monarchs as They Migrate

Jo Ellen Roe August 26, 2014 0 Comments

Swamp milkweed

A swamp milkweed in bloom.

As summer fades into fall, Monarch butterflies in North America are making their way from their summer homes to their overwintering locations in Mexico and California. Get the latest information on weekly migration updates for the Monarchs.

This post will cover three important ways you can help the Monarch butterflies, whose numbers have declined significantly in recent years.

Plant Milkweed

If, like the crew of Serendipity Gardens, you are concerned about the Monarchs, you may have planted milkweed in your garden this year. If you did not plant milkweed this year, you can plan to do so next year. ... Read More

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The Best Way Ever to Deal with Yellow Jackets: A Serendipity Gardens Story

Jo Ellen Roe August 20, 2014 0 Comments

Yellow jackets 1

Hard to see, but this hole was swarming with yellow jackets.

A Problem Revealed

While working at my desk a week or so ago, I noticed lots of activity near the sidewalk. Small creatures of some sort were flying up and down and in circles, over and over again. They reminded me of popcorn kernals flying in a popcorn machine.

I went outside to investigate. There, dug in below a Bath’s Cheddar pink dianthus that normally serves as a ground cover, was a hole about six inches in diameter. The flying creatures appeared to be bees of some kind, and they were as busy and active as could be. Unknown to me, they must have been there most of the summer. ... Read More

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Six Cheap, Easy Things You Can Do to Help the Bees — Including How to Build a Bee Hotel

Jo Ellen Roe August 11, 2014 3 Comments

Keeping the Bees

The plight of the bees and other pollinators is frightening! Without bees, some say, humans would also cease to exist. A more likely scenario is that humans would live in a much less colorful and tasty world.

I read a book recently titled Keeping the Bees: Why All Bees Are at Risk and What We Can Do to Save Them. It’s a great read, one I highly recommend. You will  learn a lot about what is causing the bees’ distress and how much poorer our world would be without bees. You will also learn interesting facts about bee sex, bee predators, and more. It’s all astonishing and fascinating stuff! ... Read More

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The Frogs of Serendipity Gardens

Jo Ellen Roe August 4, 2014 0 Comments

Frog 17

Frogs Add Personality to Serendipity Gardens

A friend was visiting Serendipity Gardens last week, and he took several photos of the frogs. The photos  are, in my opinion, fabulous, as are their subjects. This first photo  is my favorite. It seems to depict the essence of frog: still, yet alert, with a Yoda-like smile.

Frogs play an important role in Serendipity Gardens. They came on their own when we built our pond several years ago. I think female frogs had likely laid eggs on some of the water plants we brought in. In any case, it was a delight to see them then, and it is a delight to see them now, in their various poses and moods, as these pictures show. ... Read More

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From Serendipity Gardens: Three Ways to Call the Creatures and Three Reasons Why You Should

Jo Ellen Roe July 28, 2014 0 Comments

Spiral Herb garden

A spiral garden provides room for lots of herbs in a small space.

The creatures — beneficial bugs, butterflies, bees, and birds, plus a few others — add personality and fun to your garden. In addition, of course, the work they do helps make the garden a success. Serendipity Gardens blog focuses on how to make your garden more wildlife friendly. From the last quarter, here are four most-read posts that tell you how and why. Click on the titles to read the original posts:

Serendipity Garden’s New Spiral Herb Garden

This post documents the process we went through to create a spiral herb garden. Nothing much in the world smells better than a basil leaf in the hot sun, or lemon balm rubbed between the fingers. People like these fragrances, and the creatures do, too! This type of garden is also a good way to maximize the benefits of sun and water, as its design creates multiple climate zones. It’s a good idea to put the herb garden close to a garden seat, so that you can sit there and enjoy watching the visitors. It is also nice to locate it near the kitchen, so you can quickly nab some rosemary or oregano to add to a dish. This photo shows our herb spiral about two months after planting. ... Read More

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