In the Garden

I zipped out into the butterfly garden this afternoon for a quick break. A tiger swallowtail fluttered by (we've had lots of these this year), but didn't hang around for a portrait session. Instead, I got this little fellow.

When I went back inside, I combed three butterfly books to try to identify it. After many frustrating minutes, I found it: an Arctic Skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon). In Butterflies Through Binoculars it is described as "a small, but choice, gift from the north." Isn't that delightful? And it is small, measuring less than an inch high when its wings are folded. I particularly like the banded antennae.



Our garden columbines are also in full bloom. While we have some variations in color, they are all in the pink/burgundy family. I love flowers with unusually-shaped blooms, and columbines certainly qualify.

Looks like we aren't the only ones interested in peeking inside the flower!

The Painted Daisies (Chrysantemem coccineum) add a vibrant splash of color to the gardens:

And this is the first year our Baptista (False Indigo, Baptista x varicolor 'Twilight Prairieblues') has bloomed! I almost mistook it for a lupine when I walked by.