the rewards of creating

a garden are simply too numerous to count.  I know I'm not telling you anything new but sometimes that point comes home and you just have to sit back and sigh in contentment.  That happened to me last night.  I used to have to get in my car & drive to locations near water to photograph dragonflies.  By adding even the small pond that I did, guess what has come to me?

A small dragonfly, name unknown because, admittedly, I know almost nothing about dragonflies other than I like them.  This one lighted on top of an Aster x Frikartii 'monch' bud while I was perusing the garden for ambush bugs.  It was hard to restrain myself from jumping up and down but I managed to back away quickly and quietly in order to snag my camera and return.  From this angle, looking straight down on the subject, it's difficult to discern any wings, isn't it?  Switching angles remedies that ~ a side shot provides proof (as if we needed any) that said dragonfly does indeed have wings!

Attracting a dragonfly seems a small victory but I'm still counting it.  I hope for many more sightings and for a diversification in types.  Why not dream big, right?  Since this one landed on the Aster bud I should also tell show you there are some buds already open and blooming:

 

'Monch' was added to the garden in late summer (2008) after realizing a shortage of fall bloomers.  I also added a 'novi belgii' hybrid but that seems to have disappeared.  I'm delighted 'monch' decided to stick around and provide some valuable blue/late season color.  I've been contemplating rearranging the front bed so that the asters are near the Susan's (Rudbeckia fulgida 'goldsturm').  The blue & yellow combination would be very attractive together, wouldn't it?  One more blue that recently opened (before I sign off) is Clematis 'Multi Blue:'

 

Purchased in June (or July??), it seems to be happy enough in its new location to provide me with a few, new, late season buds.  Hooray for sweet rewards!

Comments

[Marnie]

Oh no, I added a novi belgii this spring. It's hard gardening in clay, sometimes plants just won't tolerate it over winter. Fingers crossed and hoping mine comes back.

What a lovely dragonfly. It must be a lady dragonfly right;) That first photo makes her look like a piece of jewelry, too pretty to be real.
Marnie

[Pam/Digging]

I added a container pond recently and am delighting in the dragonflies that are attracted to it. Beautiful pics! By the way, I think you have a damselfly, which rests with its wings back instead of out.

[Joy]

I'm with Pam on this Kathleen .. dragonflies have a distinct straight out stance with their 4 wings .. but these little guys are gorgeous too ! Talk about electric BLUE !!
I have had to spread my Maypop horizontally now .. it has been growing like Jack's beanstalk ?? LOL .. all the wet warm weather has it crazy .. now if the buds actually bloom with flowers ?? ;-)

[Gail]

Fantastic damselfy ;)...It looks like a small dragonfly to me, too. Seriously excellent photos. I can't think of a better two friends then the flower of Monch and a Susan! The clematis is dazzling. gail

[Catherine/gardenerprogress]

It's pretty amazing what we can attract to our gardens. I'm sure you'll have all sorts of dragonflies visiting it. We get several types that visit our pond now, although I have no idea what is what.
I agree that 'Monch' would look really pretty by Rudbeckia.

[Sweet Bay]

That is a damselfly. :) Is it actually the lilac color that appears on my monitor?

[Mark]

Try this site for identification of various damselfly types: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/insects/dfly/co/toc.htm

Needless to say - beautiful shots!

A fellow Colorado gardener
Mark

[Northern Shade]

Those are beautiful photos of the damselfly. The top one with the overhead view really shows the symmetry of the markings and that neon colouring. It's so perfectly proportioned. I love the translucent wings showing in the second picture.