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Butterfly Garden
Summer 2003, view of Butterfly Garden from roof of Adams AcademyWildlife habitat is rapidly declining due to development, therefore it is important that we practice conservation landscaping on public and private land for the benefit of native species including native pollinators such as butterflies, moths, and bees. While feeding on nectar, adult butterflies and other insects inadvertently pollinate many plants. This enables the plants to produce seeds. Eggs, caterpillars, and adult butterflies are important food sources for other organisms in the food web, such as birds. In the grand scheme of things, butterflies are indispensable.
Borrowing from nature, Adams Academy students, Zora Lathan, and Sara Tangren, designed the garden in the shape of a Butterfly, which can be seen from the second floor of Adams Academy Middle School. The circular flag pole area originally contained only weedy turf grass. The turf grass was removed with a bobcat and the area was rototilled. After the area was raked and leveled, numerous volunteers and Adams Academy students planted native, flowering perennials that attract and feed butterflies, including Monarchs, moths, and bees, and which feed and shelter songbirds.
The garden design includes five 2-foot wide paths, and five 3-foot wide stripes. The plants in the stripes, in order, from the top of the forewings are:
In the hindwings, we have a circular area planted with:
- Maryland Goldenaster (Chrysopsis mariana)
- Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
- Whorled Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata)
- Hyssop Skullcap (Scutellaria integrifolia)
- Shaggy Blazingstar (Liatris pilosa) And (Liatris spicata)
The remainder of the hindwings are planted with:
- New England Aster (Symphiotrichum novae-angliae)
- Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
Pictures:
Click on the thumbnail image below for a larger picture and description
Size: 2,112 square feet
Plant List:
- Maryland Goldenaster (Chrysopsis mariana)
- Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
- Whorled Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata)
- Hyssop Skullcap (Scutellaria integrifolia)
- Shaggy Blazingstar (Liatris pilosa) And (Liatris spicata)
- New England Aster (Symphiotrichum novae-angliae)
- Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
