Polk County Master Gardeners
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Butterfly Gardens at Camp High Point
Although the Master Gardener classes covered a lot of ground, when we started
working on the plan for a butterfly garden for the Camp Highpoint Girl Scouts,
we found there was a great deal we did not know. That led to a lot of research
and some trial-and-error learning. But the results have been worth the effort.
The PCMG designed the butterfly garden with several purposes in mind. It
creates an environment where butterflies can thrive - and there are less and less
of those every year, as more land becomes either city lots or farmers fields. It
is a place where girls can learn about the life cycle of butterflies, the
environment and why we need to protect it, and can get some hands-on experience
in gardening. It provides a quiet place to sit, relax, and enjoy the beauty of
both the garden and the surrounding woodland.
If you are interested in converting a part of your yard into a sanctuary for
butterflies, there are many web sites with lots of information. Most of the
search engines will bring up dozens of sites about “butterfly gardens” with all
you need to know.
Many of the plants that attract butterflies also appeal to hummingbirds, so
you might want to include a place to sit and watch after the work is done. In
addition to the patience to sit and enjoy the results, you will need a fair
amount of patience in the construction process. Many of the plants are
perennials and will take a season or two to reach maturity, and the annuals will
have to wait for spring.
You also want to remember that, to have butterflies, you must have
caterpillars. So don’t plan the butterfly garden right next to your prized rose
bed or the cabbage patch. Unfortunately, the butterflies don’t read the labels
and the ones who do not require specific plants will be all to happy to colonize
places where you would just as soon not have them.
If you would like to learn more about Master Gardeners and/or see the
butterfly garden, come to our next meeting. It will be held at Camp High Point
on Highway 8 East (near Board Camp) at the butterfly garden. The time is 5:30 pm
and the date will be Thursday, November 7. If you would like more information,
give Madean Pearce a call at 479-394-2361.
By Barbara M. Tobias
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