The Butterfly Garden

This afternoon, I took the flowers, pictured at right, to the butterfly garden I am working to recreate at the preschool where I used to work, part of Shawnee State University. A 16 x 24 foot space has been set aside for the tiny new garden. These plants joined others planted a couple of weeks ago which are thriving, given the plentiful rainfall we have had in the last several weeks. When I arrived, a small bright yellow butterfly and a bumble bee were flitting about the garden.

The butterfly friendly plants pictured include salvia, bright yellow milkweed, gaillardia, lavender and three colors of pinwheel zinnias, a bushy mildew resistant type of zinnia. Other plants and flowers already in the garden include pink buddleia, daylilies, monarda, rudbeckia, marigolds, caryopteris, coneflowers, and other varieties of zinnia. In the midwest, all of these flowers and shrubs are good choices for a butterfly garden.

The garden is a work in progress. A child sized arched bridge, built by my mom and dad, a dry creek bed, and a butterfly house have already been placed in the garden. Pathways will be added next. When it is complete, I'll post some pictures.