Dear Sunday Letter friends,

Even though last week was drizzly and gray, I managed to get a few hours of garden time in here and there. Our milkweed is really growing. This is a good thing since I found three monarch caterpillars already! Milkweed is the ONLY plant monarchs eat and the ONLY place they lay eggs. So—absolutely—milkweed is an essential plant for a butterfly garden.

Rain or shine, I go out and inspect our plants daily to see what’s happening. This is the best way I know to learn the needs of our trees and shrubs and blooming plants. Things can change overnight. We humans like to think we are in charge, but we are simply riding along with mother nature, doing what we can to nip problems and encourage the good.Continue Reading