Create a ladybug garden…
Seeing Spots? Ladybugs are a hugely popular item to collect for garden ornaments and this cluster of ladybugs is so charming that heads turn whenever driving through the small ,…small town of Unionville, Iowa.
Our own Jeanne Sammons was driving past one summer and photographed this whimsical ‘Love Bug’ for us, located on the only crossroads in this small town. We’re told that two crafty ladies collaborate on this labor of love and decorate the ‘Bugs’ for each season and that this is a relic of the Snodgrass sisters. Anyone from the area will remember them.
Jeanne Sammons snapped this while on vacation in Unionville, Iowa
On a British gardening program on one occasion, a group of ladybugs was called a “loveliness of ladybugs.” According to the website ‘Collective Nouns,’ this is “not authenticated but too nice to omit.” We call this particular group just lovely and seeing them can’t help but put a smile on your face!
Not a bad end-of-life use for a beetle…it’s a “Carden! One of our gardeners asks,” I wonder if it has a license plate on the back with “Herbie” on it? Jeanne said at the time, “I don’t know … should have got out and walked around it … to see if it was properly licensed!” Someone quipped, “Guess you could call that a “Herb” garden!”
How it was done
The hard top has been cut off, it’s filled with dirt and they plant a flower garden in it, always adding something new for every season. Herbie has a darling family, too, he must have gotten married. The faded sign in back says, “I have learned that if I eat doughnuts today I wear them tomorrow” Oops!
Regina Shultz photographed the ‘Bug’ in Fall
Regina Shultz’s close-up of the Fall scene
Here’s what you can do with those extra VWs lying around!
Where to find discarded VW bugs: They are out there and really cheap, one FMGer says, who found one for free on a VW Facebook page. It wasn’t running but made a great big flower pot. The VW toy pedal cars may be found, used, at yard sales and from collectors,…possibly on eBay. Worth searching for!
You have been bugged!
5 Comments
This is very amazing
This is a wonderful website I live in Egypt in Safaga on the Red Sea. I have been collecting ladybirds since ……20yrs and have all sorts and now have made a special cabinet to house all my ladybirds given by friends from around the world.
Love the pops of color!
I looked for a VW Beetle at several local junk yards after seeing an adorable one planted with flowers, but they were all in terrible condition (smashed windshields, trees growing out of them, etc. etc.) That’s how I ended up with an old MG that I found at a junk yard. I planted flowers in the engine area and I’ve been very happy with it. Where there’s a will there’s a way!
I was wandering what the sign said behind the vw bug on the wall. Something about doughnuts? Love the pictures of the ladybugs very clever ideas.