Fan Flower Visitor

I have two hanging baskets of scaveola, also known as fairy fan flower, in front of our house. This is the second year I've had fan flowers, and I'm extremely pleased with their hardiness. I've found that these delicate-looking flowers can withstand the somewhat extreme sun and drying wind we have at the front of the house, and they will still look great at summer's end.

The other wonderful thing about fan flowers is that they attract butterflies. Yesterday I happened to spy this beautiful butterfly enjoying the blooms. Isn't she stunning? I appreciated her willingness to pause while I grabbed a quick photo.

After a bit of sleuthing, I determined that this gorgeous creature is a red-spotted purple. I hope we have many more winged visitors this summer.