Decorative items in the garden

[ChanellG]

Oh no! I did not realize that wasps and stink bugs would attack the babies. Thanks for the info. I will look it up. LOL Add another item to the list and more things to do. Keith is still in bed right now but I can see him shaking his head!

This is everything I have pinned on butterflies: http://www.pinterest.com/cdgautreaux/in-the-land-of-the-butterflies/
It's mostly geared towards the species of butterflies I see most in my area, but there is info on raising butterflies and building butterfly houses.

Here is another board to which I have pinned info on other bugs in the garden with info on controlling the unwanted ones naturally as well as which are beneficial to have around: http://www.pinterest.com/cdgautreaux/bugs-bugs-bugs/

ChanellG - Many thanks for the info, and have to say, that I'm very relieved to know, that Butterflies can fend for themselves quite well, which is what I had always thought, but when Shellyann asked about what to feed them, have to admit to being a little stumped
Would I be right in assuming, as I have hundreds of different kinds of butterflies and dragonflies in my garden, that multiply each year - that they have everything that they require ?

If you are seeing a lot of butterflies chances are there are nectar plants nearby, but the chance is greater that there are host plants for the larvae around as well since they need to lay their eggs on those in order to keep the species going. You can make a simple feeder with overripe fruit (see above), but it's also easy to create a planter with host and nectar plants.

 

[Kiese]

What kind of decorative things do you have? I saw a photo of a wall of colored birdhouses in a garden and really like that idea. It was kind of like this, but on a fence rather than on a house exterior:

Previously I have been a very utilitarian gardener but I am looking to branch out and add some whimsy in the future.

This looks cute..I personally would use less bird houses but it adds a nice touch especially with birds coming to visit. The other picutes people included are really nice too.

 

[claudine]

Some birdhouses are very decorative and they would make any garden look pretty. Personally, I love them and I love the idea of helping little birds
These are cute, aren't they?:

 

[poop]

New Decorative Mirror For Love - 2014

 

[claudine]

Those heart-shaped mirrors are kind of cute, but I don't think it would be a good idea to decorate a garden with them. It would just look weird
Personally, I'd choose something simpler, like this:

It doesn't even look like a mirror, does it?

 

[kammy]

I don't really have any decoration as such in my garden other than some very nice flower pots and some painted tyres that i used for planting flowers.

 

[galmal]

One of my neighbors has a metal sculpture of a cow and she decorates her every couple of weeks depending on the time of the year or what holidays are coming up. It's always interesting walking past her house and seeing what the "cow" is celebrating this week.

I love the photos of the different mirrors, that's such a wonderful idea, I haven't seen it before. I don't like to have a lot of different things, I think too much just gets cluttered, but I like more than just plants in my gardens, to add a different texture and feel to it. I use rocks a lot, both as a retaining wall and as accents. I also like things like small water fountains, bird baths, decorative metal trellises.

 

[LouisFerdinand]

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/191191946669787755/

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Poppy Garden Stakes

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/155303887516378144/

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Clay Pot Leprechaun Hats

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/450289662745256160/