Angela’s Summer Flowers in North Carolina

Hi GPODers!

When we say goodbye to the summer months we also largely say goodbye to some garden visitors that are always welcome guests: pollinators. Some migrate long distances to find warmer weather, others hibernate in protected corners and crevices of our landscapes, and others still spend the winter months developing as eggs or larvae to emerge in their final form by spring. While they are out of sight they shouldn’t stay out of mind, and Angela G. in Statesville, North Carolina has a garden that reminds us that our outdoor spaces should be offering vital support for theses beneficial bugs as well as providing us with beauty. Her plantings may be new, but they’re already producing an abundance of blooms that support a variety of pollinators.

I garden in Statesville, NC and have been in my location for 3 years. The main area of focus so far has been the beds around the pool, where I have tried to select plants that peak in the summer and that attract pollinators. All of the photos included here are from the beds surrounding the pool, however, in a future submission I hope to be able to show progress on a new pollinator garden I started in spring 2025 and other plantings I am working on as I remove overgrown shrubs and redesign the foundation plantings around the house.

Thanks so much, I really enjoy seeing everyone’s gardens and getting ideas, and hope that someone will get some enjoyment out of seeing mine.

This first corner looks to be dedicated to lilies. Some colorful true lilies bring the heat and bright white calla lilies add another form while keeping the bed balanced.

Angela’s photos show that her plantings are already a big hit with the butterflies in her area. This liatris, a pollinator favorite, was just beginning to bloom when an Eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) made a visit.

A better look at that dense blazing star (Liatris spicata, Zone 3–9) reveals frosty lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina, Zone 4–8) and a pair of purple coneflower purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, Zone 3–9) directly behind.

Angela’s pool-side beds aren’t expansive in size, but they still provide a beautiful buffet of different blooms for the various pollinators that visit her garden. A diverse assortment of colors and flower shapes is not only an aesthetic benefit, but also helps to attract and support a wider array of pollinators.

And speaking of pollinators, this garden phlox (Phlox paniculata, Zone 3–9) is causing a frenzy! Two female Eastern tiger swallowtail butterflies are joined by a hummingbird clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe) to enjoy in this floral feast.

Behind that garden phlox a ‘Black-Beauty’ lily (Lilium ‘Black Beauty’, Zone 3–9) adds a a more magenta-pink punch to this planting while providing more pollinating possibilities for butterflies and hummingbirds.

As much as flowers are vital to our pollinators’ survival, various parts of the plant are utilized throughout a beneficial bug’s lifecycle. Having densely planted areas with plenty of foliage, like this lush border bed, is also a vital source of food and protection for larvae and caterpillars.

One final photo shows a beloved monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) visiting Angela’s agastache. The best way to attract these incredible, and threatened, pollinators is to plant a native species of milkweed (their host plant). However, they will also make an appearance to most gardens where an abundance of pollinator-friendly flowers are present, as Angela has so successfully done.

Thank you so much for sharing your vibrant garden with us, Angela! Getting a taste of summer color is exactly what the doctor calls for this time of year and your floral abundance is the perfect prescription.

Summer color may be long gone, but we have all winter to celebrate seasonal highlights on Garden Photo of the Day! As you’re scrolling through garden photos from the past year and planning your plantings for next year, consider sharing your favorite highlights with the blog. Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.

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