The Urban Forest features a beautiful, wooden-fenced butterfly garden designed to attract a wide variety of butterfly species. At the heart of the garden, nectar-bearing plants are carefully arranged to serve as a primary food source, drawing in butterflies from the surrounding area. Along the fence line, milkweed plants are specifically planted to appeal to monarch butterflies, creating an inviting space for these remarkable pollinators. In essence, the garden acts as a restaurant for butterflies, providing essential nourishment through its selection of flowering plants.

Butterflies rely on the sun’s warmth for their mobility, so all nectar flowers in the garden are planted in areas that receive full sunlight. Among the various flowering plants, members of the sunflower family, specifically Achillea species, are highlighted as excellent choices for attracting butterflies. Each daisy within this family is actually a cluster of many smaller flowers, allowing butterflies to feed efficiently by visiting multiple nectar sources in one spot. This arrangement helps butterflies conserve energy while enjoying the abundance of nectar available in the garden.

Garden Maintenance

This garden is maintained by our caring, dedicated volunteers. Donations are needed each spring to reinvigorate and keep the garden at its highest standard by adding more plants that entice those beautiful butterflies to return and continue to use this garden as their home. Maintenance activities include planting new flowers, fertilizing, mulching, and trimming existing plants to ensure the garden remains a welcoming haven for butterflies throughout the season.