The National Monarch Dome
Planting tips and design ideas for Your National Monarch Dome Support Pillar
Meadow Blazing Star, “Blue Fortune” Agastache (anise hyssop), and Orange Butterfly Milkweed
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These 3 flowers require a sunny location with well-draining soil, so the best place to plant them are at or near the top of slopes or similar elevated portions of your landscape with 6+ hours of sun per day. They don’t need to be elevated much- just 6-12 inches above their surroundings is enough- and this can easily be accomplished by adding a couple bags of high-quality, well-draining topsoil available at your local garden Nursery.
Meadow Blazing Star (MBS) and the “Blue Fortune” grow in Zones 3-8 which covers a huge swath of the USA except for the extreme south, and the Orange Butterfly Milkweed grows in Zones 3-10 which covers the entire contiguous USA. Since these 3 flowers grow in the same conditions, they work perfectly planted together in Zones 3-8. In the deep South (Zones 9-10), the Orange Butterfly Milkweed is a much-needed flower for mom Monarchs to lay their eggs as they return from their migration, and well-worth planting by itself or together with other Zone 9-10 hardy flowers!
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Recommended planting method:
1. Before digging, place the potted plants on top of the soil where you will plant them; arrange them how you wish and space each pot about 6 inches from each other.
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2. Then dig a perimeter about 1 foot wider than the group of pots. Remove the potted plants from the area so you can dig freely and easily, and dig out the entire area within the perimeter to about 1 foot deep.
3. Mix the removed soil with at least one bag of high-quality well-draining topsoil to obtain at least 50% or more of the well-draining topsoil. Add this mixture back to the hole you dug to a level such that top of each pot is about ½ above ground level and ½ below the surrounding ground level (noting this can mean a different fill-level for different height pot sizes).
4. Put on a pair of garden gloves or disposable gloves to protect your skin. Carefully remove each plant from the pot (gently pushing on the sides of the pot can help loosen the roots for easier and gentle removal). Once removed, gently loosen the very bottom of the roots with your fingers to encourage them to spread; avoid disturbing any root of the butterfly milkweed that has a bulb on it (the tap root) as this is essential for the plant to live.
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5. Arrange the flowers how you want them, and then place the remaining soil mixture evenly around them. The soil must reach to the level topline roots (where the stem of the plant meets the potted soil) but do not cover these topline roots with soil; if more soil is required, use 100% of the high-quality well-draining topsoil to do so.
6. Arrange the soil between the planted flowers and the outer perimeter such that it has a gentle slope to help provide the good drainage these flowers need to thrive.
Swamp Milkweed
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This flower should be planted in an area with reasonably consistent moisture and 2-8 hours of sun per day. Ideal locations are low areas in your landscape, where water tends to flow and accumulate when it rains. It is very tolerant of many soil types, even heavy wet clay; however to help it thrive without guessing, it is a good idea to mix your soil with a bag of organic compost to a ~50/50 mixture.
Swamp Milkweed grows in Zones 3-9, which covers most of the USA except for small parts of the extreme south. It often remains dormant till late Spring- though when planted properly, its incredible growth rate will amaze you year after year while serving as both an outstanding host plant for Monarchs to lay their eggs and an excellent source of nectar for mom, dad, and baby Monarchs along with many other butterflies such as the Tiger Swallowtail.
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Recommended planting method:
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1. Before digging, place the potted plant on top of the soil where you will plant them; if you are planting more than one, arrange them how you wish and space each pot about 6 to 12 inches from each other.
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2. Then dig a perimeter about 6 inches wider than the group of pots. Remove the potted plants from the area so you can dig freely and easily, and dig out the entire area within the perimeter to about 1 foot deep.
3. Mix the removed soil with high-quality organic compost to obtain about a 50/50 mixture. Add this mixture back to the hole you dug to a level such that the top of each pot is at ground level.
4. Put on a pair of garden gloves or disposable gloves to protect your skin. Carefully remove each plant from the pot (gently pushing on the sides of the pot can help loosen the roots for easier and gentle removal). Once removed, gently loosen the very bottom of the roots with your fingers to encourage them to spread; avoid disturbing any root of the milkweed that has a bulb on the end of it (the tap root) as this is essential for the plant to live.
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5. Arrange the plant(s) how you want them, and then place the remaining soil mixture evenly around them. The soil must reach to the level topline roots (where the stem of the plant meets the potted soil) but do not cover these topline roots with soil; if more soil is required, use 100% of the high-quality organic compost. You can mulch around the plant(s) to help the soil retain the needed moisture.
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