Thyme In The Garden

Thymus vulgaris (TY-muss vul-GAIR-iss), native to the Mediterranean, was also used by ancient Egyptians for embalming, Ancient Greeks for burning incense and bathing, Middle Ages Europe as a sleep antiseptic, medicinal purposes... but we use it mostly as a culinary aid and to gaze and walk upon, to sink within its softness as we walk along this garden path.

A vast variety of thyme... English, lemon, orange, wild, silver..., but my favorites have to be this deep rose-colored creeping Mother of Thyme, Thymus serpyllum (ser-PIE-lum) and the soft gray-green Woolly thyme, Thymus pseudolanuginosus (soo-doh-lan-oo-gin-OH-sus).

Lorquin's Orange-Tip Admiral

There is not much left of the spiraea's blossom, but this beauty seemed to think so. Frankly I am a bit surprised I got this shot for the jittery creature was in constant motion. Look at the orange tips on Lorquin's Orange-Tip Admiral (Limenitis lorquini). Handsome indeed.

Curious is that no interest was paid to the lilies and this particular spiraea just behind me.

Western Tiger Swallowtail

I thought I loved lavender, but this beauty was outside my studio window for nearly an hour earlier and having a fleeting good time tasting one specimen after another.

Outside I went in an attempt to photograph and chased it around the garden, until finally it returned here to where we started. I think it wanted to play? Ok, fine with me.

The Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus) may be considered a common swallowtail butterfly, but I think it is extraordinary.