Red Admiral Butterfly
One of the best decisions I made with the garden was to plant a Nectar Bar to attract the pollinators and beneficial insects. It has surpassed my expectations and it’s an absolute must for my future planting schemes.
Today was a good day as I even managed to photograph one of the butterflies that have eluded me over the last few weeks. A longer lens on my camera and a tripod were key – but balancing on one leg whilst the tripod was in mid air probably wasn’t that helpful!
Bees on Agastache
There were a huge variety of bees out today and I noticed that each species seemed to have their favourite flowers. The Agastache, Scabious and Coreopsis were the favourites today and I noticed that whilst most bees were methodically working the blooms others zoomed around them as if the Bar was about to close!!
The Bar is open as usual my little buzzy friends… and hopefully will be for a few weeks more! Come on in, have a good time and bring a friend too x
The Pyjama Gardener 
Great photos!
You have a great looking blooming garden for September! Mine is looking tired and bedraggled.
Parts of mine are bedraggled too – especially my hanging baskets!
A nectar bar is a great idea… did you sow seed in spring or are they mostly hardy plants?
The seeds were mainly sown in Spring – I must say that it’s exceeded my expectations and the bees are really happy. I just need to plant some more plants for butterflies next year.
I love your nectar bar! Gorgeous pictures of beautiful flowers – how perfect! I think I need to look into planting some Agastache, so nice to have a different shape and textured plant!
The Agastache would look great in your garden – it’s about a metre tall but hasn’t required any staking and the bees certainly love it!
Lovely photos. It’s great to see that your nectar bar is so popular with the locals! Do you have plans to expand it, or grow anything different next year?
Thank you! I’m going to take some of my favourite plants from this year and put them elsewhere in the garden. The Sarah Raven plants have been so spectacular that I’ll definitely be trying some different ones from her next year. I’d love a cutting patch!
Having pollinators buzzing and fluttering around the garden is so rewarding. Great shot of your butterfly! I find using a tripod difficult when shooting butterflies since they move around so much. I prefer using a handheld and following them around.
Thanks Karin – I’m so pleased that I finally got a butterfly that looks in focus! It has made me appreciate looking at your photos even more.
Everything looks wonderful!
Thank you – it’s certainly a riot of colours at the moment!
Great photos. Nectar bars are a great way of bringing in insects to pollinate our crops and ornamentals, and the insects add so much interest.
Never heard the term – nectar bar. Clever, and thanks for the great photos. Next year…..
Thanks Claudia – my husband bought me the camera this year and I’ve really enjoyed using it so far.
I did not know the term nectar bar neither, I only know it as pollinator garden or butterfly garden. Nectar bar sounds much more charming. And, it looks like the butterflies love the cocktails being offered!
The bar is certainly buzzing so it will be sad when it closes for Winter!
Fantastic photos and equally fantastic planting ! I’d pull up at the bar too 🙂
You are welcome at the bar anytime Claire, thanks for your lovely comments x
I just created the perennial bed in the backyard a few years ago, and I am glad I chose many pollinator-friendly plants. It is a joy to watch them. What is the flower in the Red Admiral Butterfly photo? …just beautiful!
The flower is a Scabiosa Atropurpurea “Black Cat” and it is highly recommended! It’s definitely been one of the stars this year.
Your photos are beautiful. I’ve been out snapping pics of bees on the golden rod. I haven’t had a chance to get a good shot of a butterfly but I’m on the look out. Great work and beautiful gardens!
Thank you, butterflies are so tricky!
Your photos are lovely! I must admit I haven’t seen one single butterfly in my garden this summer, despite having lots of flowers they usually like. I have lots of bees though, and the spiders have just arrived, in numbers – ugh!
Thanks Helene – I’ve not had the spiders yet so I’ll look out for them!
Your nectar bar was a brilliant idea! I planted agastache for the first time this year, I think it my favorite new plant, the bees can’t stay away and I love the tall blooms, very structural!
I love the idea of a butterfly/pollinator garden being called a nectar bar. 🙂 It seems so communal. I really love your cosmos. I need to add more of that to my garden.
Beautiful pics! Love it! It is a gr8 name for a bar too 🙂
I love your combinations! SO unique!!
I’d love to tell you that there was a lot of design consideration but I just researched the best plants for beginners that would attract bees, plonked them in and have enjoyed the results! Thanks again for the compliment x
Well, it must be really tough to be so naturally awesome! 🙂 haha
LOL… it must be 😉
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