![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_7497f349b0bb416ca15eaab4ccf8ee88~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_7497f349b0bb416ca15eaab4ccf8ee88~mv2.webp)
![Honey Bee full of pollen](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_7497f349b0bb416ca15eaab4ccf8ee88~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_7497f349b0bb416ca15eaab4ccf8ee88~mv2.webp)
Honey Bee full of pollen
While observing the variety of bees visiting the blooming lambs ear patch, it was such a treat to see this honey bee land on the flower...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_a758acc5e2844a288fc575812d164feb~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_a758acc5e2844a288fc575812d164feb~mv2.webp)
![Gilia Capitata "Blue Thimble Flower"](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_a758acc5e2844a288fc575812d164feb~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_a758acc5e2844a288fc575812d164feb~mv2.webp)
Gilia Capitata "Blue Thimble Flower"
The Gilia Capitata “Blue Thimble Flower”, a California native, reseeded itself so well from last year, that it creates a nice patch of...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_26aee1da85974820a590d61b15a0f6e2~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_26aee1da85974820a590d61b15a0f6e2~mv2.webp)
![The Green Sweat Bees are Back](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_26aee1da85974820a590d61b15a0f6e2~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_26aee1da85974820a590d61b15a0f6e2~mv2.webp)
The Green Sweat Bees are Back
It's that time of year for the green sweat bees Agapostemon Guerin-Meneville to return to the garden. These are the A. texanus species,...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_7425118b00ce48a89eb8e82c295d0b33~mv2_d_6000_4000_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_7425118b00ce48a89eb8e82c295d0b33~mv2_d_6000_4000_s_4_2.webp)
![Yellow Faced Bumble Bee approaching Bee Plant](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_7425118b00ce48a89eb8e82c295d0b33~mv2_d_6000_4000_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_7425118b00ce48a89eb8e82c295d0b33~mv2_d_6000_4000_s_4_2.webp)
Yellow Faced Bumble Bee approaching Bee Plant
Oh, we have so many yellow-faced bumble bees Bombus vosnesenskii constantly visiting the garden, both around the California native patch...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_b7ad2ae690e141a0a5cc8f22d31bda14~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_b7ad2ae690e141a0a5cc8f22d31bda14~mv2.webp)
![Time to raise the monarch caterpillars](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_b7ad2ae690e141a0a5cc8f22d31bda14~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_b7ad2ae690e141a0a5cc8f22d31bda14~mv2.webp)
Time to raise the monarch caterpillars
Good grief! It's already time to raise the monarch caterpillars. I posted pictures last week of a couple of tiny monarch caterpillars I...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_d3758916800f4cc1bf223f729eb5ba56~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_d3758916800f4cc1bf223f729eb5ba56~mv2.webp)
![Lovely buckwheat](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_d3758916800f4cc1bf223f729eb5ba56~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_d3758916800f4cc1bf223f729eb5ba56~mv2.webp)
Lovely buckwheat
It's that time of year when the buckwheat plants start to bloom again, just when the late Spring plants lose their blossoms. And look how...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_d3596809822e42f6b490656c160d7c53~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_d3596809822e42f6b490656c160d7c53~mv2.webp)
![Yellow-faced bumble bee enjoying the lavender](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_d3596809822e42f6b490656c160d7c53~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_d3596809822e42f6b490656c160d7c53~mv2.webp)
Yellow-faced bumble bee enjoying the lavender
There are so many yellow-faced bumble bees in the garden these days. I just think they are adorable. Look at this one on a lavender...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_e2f7a959c81144dea45fdb16880ac775~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_e2f7a959c81144dea45fdb16880ac775~mv2.webp)
![Our native garden now](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_e2f7a959c81144dea45fdb16880ac775~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_e2f7a959c81144dea45fdb16880ac775~mv2.webp)
Our native garden now
Our native, or mostly native, garden now is looking just as it should. This is quite different from our garden at our previous residence,...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_dd0c204be353475aa978bb5b1c0686cf~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_dd0c204be353475aa978bb5b1c0686cf~mv2.webp)
![Ladybug party](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_dd0c204be353475aa978bb5b1c0686cf~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_dd0c204be353475aa978bb5b1c0686cf~mv2.webp)
Ladybug party
And those ladybugs are multiplying on one of the Yellow Coastal Bush Lupines! Originally I observed some ladybugs eating green aphids on...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_7364aaa0bff14641bb0d1c7c0fe66e70~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_7364aaa0bff14641bb0d1c7c0fe66e70~mv2.webp)
![The monarchs are here!](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_7364aaa0bff14641bb0d1c7c0fe66e70~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_7364aaa0bff14641bb0d1c7c0fe66e70~mv2.webp)
The monarchs are here!
I can't believe it, we already have some monarch caterpillars on a couple of our Narrow Leaf Milkweed Asclepias fascicularis plants. A...