So it’s a Butterfly Bush

When my husband and I visited Bavaria in celebration of our 40th anniversary, we spent a few days in a delightful garden cottage in Gebsattel. Right outside the door was a patch of fragrant blossoming bushes that were absolutely populated with butterflies.

The whole garden space was alive, not only with plants, but with the fluttering activity of glorious winged creatures that covered the many blooms. I was inspired by this sight and wanted to capture it with my camera for future paintings. I determined that, once stateside, I would
find out whatever this exotic flowering bush was.

Come spring, I started my quest to identify the flower. At my local nursery I showed the picture to the gardener. Her reply? "I have no idea what the plant is, but the photograph is beautiful! You should be an artist!"

I chose not to go into detail about how I AM an artist, and that's the whole point here. That by then I had done sketches and paintings of the bush covered in butterflies. Had even considered the possibility of going back to Gebsattel for another look. I just thanked her and went on my way.
That's when I started to think that the flowers I so enjoyed in Bavaria are probably only found in Bavaria, that it's some local species that thrives only in southern Germany and therefore, not available anywhere else.
A few weeks later I was at a different nursery, being assisted by a very helpful and knowledgeable associate. He was using his words to paint a picture of how beautiful my garden spaces could be if I just was willing to buy lots of different plants, pavers and rocks from him. After letting him court me for a good 15 minutes, and finally settling on some pachysandras that were on clearance (so frugal!) I pulled out my phone and showed him the picture. Half expecting him to say, "hmmm, no idea" like the other sales associate, I was surprised by his immediate response.
"Oh, that's a butterfly bush, and we have those right over here!"
So it's a butterfly bush! And it's not only grown in southern Germany, but right here is Indiana. Now it is providing me with delightful encounters with those glorious winged creatures on a daily basis. And yes, making it into my watercolor table and my illustrated garden journal.

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Parts of Art

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