Wednesday, June 09, 2010

milkweed

a015 milkweed
a023 milkweed a025 milkweed

Someone recently asked me about where to find milkweed. I've been looking. These photos are from Rock Meadow in Belmont - along Mill Street. The milkweed there is beautiful and just starting to bud. The Monarchs will be happy! I've also found smaller stands of milkweed off of Trapelo Road in Waltham in the area of the old Met life buildings.

6 comments:

kibbles said...

Milkweed is the plant of my childhood! I've noticed over the years that it's disappearing. The town developed a field that was just outside my childhood neighborhood into more homes- that field was a goldmine for milkweeds and I would go on adventures searching for monarch caterpillars. Sometimes I would take one home to "house" in a jar and watch it transform, but mostly I just lay on the ground looking up at the caterpillars doing their thing. It's really sad that this is almost not possible anymore. I rarely see monarch butterflies and have not found a single caterpillar since I was 14. That field is so beautiful, I wish I was there!

kathy said...

What a nice comment! I also spent a lot of time in milkweeds fields as a kid. I remember a couple big fields in particular and both are now gone - one is a recreation field and another a highway.

When I was asked where there is milkweed locally, I thought it would be easier to find. But it isn't. A positive note - I think the Rock Meadow fields have more than in previous years.

Anonymous said...

Hi Kathy,
I saw one of your posts over on "Garden Voices" http://voices.gardenweb.com/garden_voices/2010/05/skippys-vegetable-garden-broccoli-buttons.html

I also saw other blogs I follow on gardening. Did you know they were publishing your blog posts?

Happy gardening,
Chris

kathy said...

HI Chris, Garden Voices is a great site that collects posts from different gardening blogs. They always link back and I have given them permission. They are a good site to follow!

Anonymous said...

I always enjoy your blog and the term "Skippy's Vegetable Garden" really stands out ... that is what caught my eye. I'm glad it is all cool. Just thought you should know.

Happy gardening,
Chris

Lisa said...

I've planted several varieties of mlkweed in hopes of pleasing the butterflies. So far, only the slugs have found 'em.