green and black worm climbing on green leaf

My aunt once told me that weeds are flowers tough enough to grow without human assistance. To my neighbors’ dismay, I let my weeds grow wild. Why? Every year, more milkweeds crop up in my rain garden. Today, I was fortunate enough to find a the caterpillar of a monarch butterfly hanging out under a milkweed leaf. Lying on the grass, snapping picture after picture, I didn’t care what the neighbors thought. Milkweed is under siege from round-up resistant crops and suburban lawn lords. No milkweed means no monarchs. Perhaps by sharing their beauty, I can help them fight back.