A Verbena View

Verbena bonariensis

One of the benefits of my untidy garden, is having plants that pop up where I least expect them.  I love the "self-seeders"; and you really only get them if you practice some garden neglect.  Half of the color in my garden comes from plants that have seeded themselves.  And yes, there are times when they run a little rampant (the yellow Welsh poppies are a good example of this!), and need some reining in.  But I am usually quite happy with the robust, colorful plants who put themselves where they feel most comfortable, and joyfully bloom away.

The foliage of this verbena is almost non-existent.  The plant is light and airy, with purple flowers perched high atop green stalks.  They almost float above the garden.

And there is a certain type of white butterfly who loves this plant.  It seems that almost every flower stalk has a butterfly on it, or fluttering nearby.  I never get tired of watching them.  Luckily I have several verbenas near the deck where I can watch the interplay of white butterfly and purple flower.

When the weather turns and we are forced indoors by winter cold and rain, I will think back to summer days like this.  Sitting on our sun-soaked deck with a glass of iced tea, surrounded by birds, butterflies and blooms.