Irma's Pond (c) 2009 Irma McVey
Welcome to our ongoing visits to our readers Ecosystem Gardens. I hope you are enjoying these tours as much as I am. And we would very much like a tour through YOUR Ecosystem Garden for wildlife. Click here for more information.
Many thanks to Irma McVey, of Cape May, NJ for submitting this week’s garden showcase photos.
Lawn Reduction (c) 2009 Irma McVey
Monarch Butterfly (c) 2009 Irma McVey
I first met Irma McVey on one of Pat Sutton‘s wildlife habitat garden tours in Cape May county, New Jersey. Irma had run an herb business from her garden for years and was in the process of converting many of her garden beds into habitat for wildlife.
(c) 2009 Irma McVey
Visiting Irma’s garden is a delight for the senses. There is always fresh brewed iced tea with various fresh herbs floating among the ice cubes. It’s pretty to look at and delicious to drink. With the tea there is always home baked cookies, again flavored with fresh herbs. And there are always handouts describing the various native plants and what wildlife is attracted to each plant.
Buckeye and skippers (c) 2009 Irma McVey
Irma is a dedicated volunteer with the Nature Center of Cape May as a wildlife habitat garden consultant which is helping homeowners make better choices for wildlife in their gardens.
Nymphaea odorata (c) 2009 Irma McVey
Let’s take a walk through Irma’s garden. Enjoy!
Turtle-gazing (c) 2009 Irma McVey
Garden Spider (c) 2009 Irma McVey
Ro Wilson's Birdhouse (c) 2009 Irma McVey
Painted Lady (c) Irma McVey
Green Frog (c) 2009 Irma McVey
Red-spotted Purple (c) 2009 Irma McVey
What do you think of Irma’s garden? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. To find out how to submit YOUR Ecosystem Garden for wildlife click here.
More garden showcases:
A Visit to Cindy Brown Ahern’s Garden
A Visit to Pat Sutton’s Garden
© 2009 – 2010, Carole Sevilla Brown. All rights reserved. This article is the property of EcosystemGardening.com If you are reading this at another site, please report that to us
About Carole Sevilla Brown
Gorgeous!!! I love the natural plantings around the pond, especially what looks like Ladies’ Tresses?
What a gorgeous garden! It’s an inspiration to those of who are thinking of doing more for nature but haven’t got there yet. I LOVE the pond. This garden is a testament to the fact that gardening with native plants can look just as gorgeous as using the non-natives we usually see at garden centers.
Thank you Irma and Carole for sharing
.-= Alison Kerr´s last post ..Natural Remodeling for the Not-So-Green House =-.
Very nice. Whose head is that peaking out the birdhouse? Love the pond and the turtle keeping watch. For whatever reason, I guess aptly so, the Clerance Clearwater Revival song popped in my head…”happy creatures dancing on the lawn…”
Thank you. H.
Helen, good eyes! I blew that photo of the birdhouse up as big as I could, and my best guess is that it’s a Fowlers Toad, but I have no clue how it got up there. I’m waiting for Irma to stop by and tell us for sure. “Happy Creatures Dancing on the Lawn” is very appropriate. Thanks for getting it stuck in my head!
Irma McVey’s garden is beautiful and peaceful…the photos are great!
What a beautiful place!
I just love the pond. What a gift to wildlife. Great job on all of it!